President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he disagrees with his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, who claimed there was a “group effort” within the administration to arrest former President Rodrigo Duterte and topple the Dutertes.
“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, I disagree,” President Marcos stated when asked about Imee’s remarks, which were part of the Senate foreign relations committee’s findings she leads. According to the committee, Duterte’s March 11 arrest was allegedly part of a coordinated government move.
Earlier, Malacañang expressed that it was not surprised by Senator Imee’s claims, given her leadership of the Senate investigation into Duterte’s detention.
Despite the Palace defending the arrest as a lawful act and a fulfillment of the country’s Interpol obligations, Senator Marcos has consistently insisted that Duterte’s arrest was illegal.
On the same day, Senator Marcos called for the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate key officials—Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, PNP Chief General Rommel Marbil, and CIDG Chief Major General Nicolas Torre III—over their roles in Duterte’s arrest.
Following his detention, former President Duterte was transferred to the Hague Penitentiary Institution in the Netherlands, where he appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) via video link on March 14 (PH time) to hear the charges tied to the deadly war on drugs during his administration. His confirmation of charges hearing has been scheduled for September 23, 2025.
Vice President Sara Duterte, meanwhile, suggested that political motivations tied to the 2025 and 2028 elections were behind her father’s transfer to The Hague.