Bullying? Boying Remulla accuses Senate of fishing for answers

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April 10, 2025 | 5:24pm

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Boying Remulla on Thursday, April 10, accused senators of bullying and fishing for specific answers during the ongoing inquiry into former president Rodrigo Duterte’s turnover to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

During the Upper Chamber’s hearing on April 10, Sens. Bato dela Rosa and Imee Marcos were insistent on finding out who exactly gave the order to arrest Duterte and turn him over to the ICC, going from one government official to the next in an attempt to trace the line of command.

When Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rommel Marbil finally invoked executive privilege, Dela Rosa’s temper flared.

“Nandito na tayo, executive privilege ka diyan (We are already here, you say executive privilege)!” Duterte’s former police chief Dela Rosa exclaimed to the current PNP chief. 

Meanwhile, Marcos also seemingly mocked the use of executive privilege, asking: “Bakit naging executive privilege bigla (Why is there executive privilege all of the sudden)?" 

The entire Cabinet and other pertinent officials were absent from the April 3 hearing. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin had written to the Senate, saying that they considered their first appearance before the Senate sufficient, especially since there was already an ongoing Supreme Court case regarding Duterte’s arrest.

“That’s why we didn’t want to attend the last hearing, this is what we were expecting. We didn’t want to be bullied,” Remulla said. 

At this point, both Marcos and Dela Rosa tried to interject at the same time, denying that they were bullying the officials. 

“I think that you are trying to make people admit something that they will not admit. And executive privilege is a valid excuse, as to not answer any questions,” Remulla said.       

An emotional Dela Rosa said that they are merely seeking the truth. 

However, Remulla said that if they were trying to make a person admit “something that should not be admitted,” there may be something more to it. 

“The clearance given by the DOJ was probably the most important part of it. To serve the warrant of arrest and to surrender the person under the law,” Remulla said.

Remulla said the DOJ was the one who advised all the arresting officials. Even though he was abroad when Duterte was arrested, Remulla said that his advice was still being sought.

Dela Rosa then pressed the question again: Was Remulla the one who gave the order to arrest Duterte?

“If I have to be the one, then if I am the one that is referred to, I will admit it, that I gave the clearances,” Remulla replied  

Still, Dela Rosa was not completely satisfied. He said that orders are different from giving clearance.  

The Senate continued its probe into the arrest of former President Duterte, who is currently in the ICC's custody in The Hague, Netherlands. He faces charges of crimes against humanity related to the drug war, which resulted in the deaths of 6,000 to 30,000 people.