Escudero orders envoy freed; issues show cause order instead

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April 11, 2025 | 10:51am

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Francis Escudero on Friday, April 11, said that the contempt citation and consequent detention of Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Markus Lacanilao was not approved by him — a prerequisite of arrests in the upper chamber.

Lacanilao is one of the government officials who oversaw former president Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and turnover to the International Criminal Court (ICC). After senators probed his role in Duterte’s arrest and found his answers satisfactory, the envoy was cited in contempt.  

The following day, Escudero said that contempt citations are subject to the approval of the Senate President. Lacanilao’s contempt citation did not go through him, so the Senate President has ordered the envoy’s release. 

“The power of a committee chairperson to order the arrest or detention of any resource person cited in contempt is subject to the approval of the Senate President. This safeguard exists to ensure that the powers of the Senate are exercised prudently with due regard for the rights of all and not wielded for personal or political ends,” Escudero said in a statement on Friday. 

“Senator Imee Marcos appears to have disregarded this longstanding rule or conveniently forgotten it that the approval of the Senate President is not automatic nor ministerial simply because she desires it,” he added. 

Escudero called Lacanilao’s detention in the Senate “unauthorized”. He has been released both based on regularity and humanitarian reasons, as his grandfather is being laid to rest on April 11. 

Instead of issuing a contempt citation, Escudero has issued Lacanilao a show cause order, giving him five days to explain why he should not be cited for contempt. Escudero will determine afterward whether a contempt citation is warranted.

Marcos has accused Escudero of refusing to sign the contempt order despite the alleged lies of the envoy. 

“This isn’t just disappointing. It’s dangerous,” Marcos said in a statement. However, Marcos herself has admitted that she is not fully aware of the technicalities of a contempt citation and consequent detention, as it was her first time doing so. 

The Senate President denied Marcos’ accusations. 

“For the record, I did not refuse to sign the contempt order of Ambassador Markus Lacanilao. Senator Marcos released her statement and flaunted to the media her signed arrest and detention order even before I could see, much less, receive a copy of it,” Escudero said. 

It was Sen. Bato dela Rosa who moved to cite Lacanilao in contempt. Dela Rosa also accused Lacanilao of lying.

Justice Secretary Boying Remulla has criticized the conduct of some senators in Marcos’ panel, saying they appeared to be pressuring individuals to make admissions. The issue of former President Duterte’s possible arrest and turnover to the International Criminal Court (ICC) has sparked debate, raising a number of legal questions. Legal experts hold differing views, with many asserting that only the Supreme Court can ultimately decide on the matter.