AFP followed constitutional duty in Duterte arrest — Teodoro

March 20, 2025 | 5:14pm

MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro rebuffed Vice President Sara Duterte's criticism of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Thursday, March 20, saying that military interference with her father's arrest would have been "an anathema to civilian authority."

Teodoro stressed that the AFP was merely fulfilling its constitutional mandate by supporting the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the high-profile operation that led to the former president's arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

Teodoro's remarks were delivered during Thursday's hearing convened by the Senate foreign relations committee, which is chaired by Sen. Imee Marcos. 

The panel is investigating Duterte's March 11 arrest at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, which his allies and family, including Vice President Sara Duterte, have denounced as an illegal operation. Duterte is currently in ICC custody and faces trial for crimes against humanity related to his administration's so-called war on drugs.

Teodoro explained that the AFP's role on the day of Duterte's arrest was to support the police in carrying out the warrant. 

"We were deputized to support the PNP and it is part of the constitutional duty of the armed forces to follow processes," Teodoro told senators during the inquiry.

"If we were to question those orders even under color of law, under color of right, then it would amount to the armed forces acting unilaterally on its own, which is an anathema of civilian authority over the military," Teodoro added.

The DND chief added that for this operation, AFP's jurisdiction "ends in providing support to the PNP." 

Sara's criticism. During the same Senate hearing, Vice President Sara Duterte delivered a pointed rebuke of the military. She asked: "Why did the AFP stand idly by while a former Commander-in-Chief was taken from a military base under questionable circumstances? How could they allow a foreign tribunal to override our constitutional guarantees?"

The vice president also criticized the "silence" of the armed forces.

"Under whose authority did the PNP act? Why did it enforce a foreign warrant without the Philippine court order? Why didn't they at least bring PRRD before a judge as required by the Rome Statute itself? Even more disturbing is the silence of the Armed Forces of the Philippines," the vice president said.

The vice president rarely calls out the AFP directly. After the pullout of her security detail last year, Duterte had merely expressed her plans to hire private security instead of accepting a new military detail. 

Malacañang has maintained that Duterte's arrest is legal, citing Republic Act 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, which allows authorities to "surrender or extradite suspected or accused persons in the Philippines to the appropriate international court."

Gibo steps in. During the hearing, Sen. Imee Marcos questioned why Air Force representatives were absent despite Villamor Airbase serving as the departure point for the chartered plane that transferred Duterte to The Hague.

It was also at Villamor Airbase that Duterte was read his Miranda rights.

Teodoro said he made the call to answer questions on behalf of the Air Force. "Because we will not go into operational details. I made the call that the Armed Forces will answer in light of our supporting role and principal role to the PNP," he added.

Prior to the Senate hearing, on the day of the arrest itself, Air Force Spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo clarified that was "normal" for the Air Force's secured base facilities "to be used as arrival or departure points for air movements of certain important personalities."

Order to remain neutral. The military has sought to maintain neutrality amid the political controversy generated by the former president's arrest. In a statement on Wednesday, March 19, Philippine Army spokesperson Colonel Louie Dema-ala said soldiers should remain focused on their duty to protect the sovereignty of the country "without becoming entangled in partisan politics." 

The AFP also previously quashed rumors of mass resignations and unrest following the arrest of the former president.