20/03/2025
I WAS WRONG ABOUT THIS SENATE HEARING
In my previous post, I automatically dismissed Senator Imee R. Marcos’ call for a Senate hearing on the ICC’s arrest of FPRRD as useless, believing it was too late since PRRD was already in detention in The Hague.
However, while watching the hearing, it became clear that it has exposed something even more alarming such as the incompetence of our Department of Justice (DOJ) and the law enforcement agencies.
Our government is undeniably fractured, and this vulnerability could mark the beginning of the Marcos administration's downfall.
While I still believe that Bongbong Marcos bears the greatest blame—since foreign policy falls “solely” under his authority and the ICC arrest could not have happened without his approval—the hearing exposed a far more alarming issue:
𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘤 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
We are spending millions in taxpayer money to pay the salaries of officials in the DILG, CIDG, DOJ, PNP, AFP, and other agencies who lack a basic grasp of legal procedures.
Nakakahiya na hindi nila alam kung paano gawing tama ang kanilang mga tungkulin pero tumatanggap ng libo-libong sahod kada buwan.
The hearing made it clear:
1.) There was no Red Notice—only a Diffusion Notice.
2.) Even Interpol was surprised that the Philippine government acknowledged it so quickly, without any judicial determination on whether the ICC accusations hold weight under our domestic laws.
The PNP’s credibility is now in question.
It was widely reported that 7,000 personnel were deployed to arrest FPRRD. Senate documents also confirmed that a memo regarding his arrest was released even before the ICC warrant of arrest came out 3:00 am last March 11, 2025. Meaning, they knew in advance.
Yet, the PNP continues to deny this, despite overwhelming evidence. This has exposed them as an institution led by liars.
The DOJ Secretary Crispin Remulla’s interpretation of the law is also deeply concerning. It has become clear that he sees the DOJ as above the law, disregarding established jurisprudence and landmark cases. Supreme Court PH must be shaking now as DOJ stands more supreme than them.
If this is the mindset of our Justice Department, then laws no longer matter—only their political agenda does.
Ironically, this hearing may turn out to be an advantage for Rody Duterte. His legal team now has a front-row seat to the government’s inconsistent and incompetent justifications.
The contradictions in their statements reveal the glaring lies behind this entire situation. And when there are inconsistencies, there are lies.
In the end, the truth is clear: The ICC arrest did not only expose the failures of Marcos administration, it also strengthened PRRD’s defense.
And Senator Imee Marcos made this happen.
