Imee runs to Ombudsman to chase after Marcos officials tagged in Duterte arrest

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Marcos officials, including the Remulla brothers, are facing criminal and administrative complaints courtesy of Imee's probe into Duterte's arrest

Senator Imee Marcos and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are more than blood relatives — they’re siblings. But this relationship has been no guarantee they would agree on policies and directives.

In another display of defiance against her brother, Imee turned over the Senate foreign relations committee report to the Office of the Ombudsman on May 2, which became the basis for complaints against Marcos officials allegedly involved in the surrender of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Responding to the complaints, Duterte-appointee Samuel Martires issued an order on Tuesday, May 6, directing the officials to file their counter-affidavits. The following were named as respondents by the Ombudsman:

• Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla
• Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla
• Philippine National Police chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil
• Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Police Major General Nicolas Torre III
• Special Envoy on Transnational Crime Markus Lacanilao

The five Marcos officials are facing the following criminal and administrative complaints: grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service; and arbitrary detention, usurpation of judicial functions, grave threats, graft, usurpation of authority or official functions, false testimony in other cases, and perjury.

Last week, Imee presented the findings of her committee after it probed into Duterte’s arrest and said that the Ombudsman should also conduct its own investigation. The senator launched her probe and invited a long list of Marcos officials to explain the legalities of Duterte’s arrest.

She was undeterrred by experts who said the arrest followed prescribed standards and was done “by the book.” Claiming that the ICC no longer had jurisdiction over the Philippines after it formally withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019, Imee grilled officials during Senate committee hearings.

The arrest was enforced through the Interpol, of which the Philippines is a member. As member, the Philippines is obliged to cooperate with the international agency.

During the hearings, the senator tried to talk over administration officials who were invited by her committee, but she failed to get past Justice Secretary Remulla, who was straightforward and firm in answering her questions.

At one point, Imee even presented an internal DOJ memorandum to question Marcos officials, but the document later turned out to be “fake and manufactured,” according to the DOJ officials.

Imee is seeking reelection, but chose to leave her brother’s Alyansa slate amid all the controversies that erupted after the bitter breakup in the political alliance between the Marcoses and the Dutertes. In April, she secured the backing of Vice President Sara Duterte, but said that the endorsement was not a “reward” for her Senate probe.

In the latest Pulse Asia survey, Imee landed outside the coveted list of 14 bets who have a chance of winning in the upcoming polls. Surveys, however, are mere snapshots of voter preferences during a specific period of time, and results could change dramatically. – Rappler.com