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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
May 29, 2025 | 7:50pm
Philippine officials take an oath during a hearing of the Committee of Foreign Affairs following the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, at the Senate in Pasay, metro Manila on March 20, 2025.
AFP / Jam Sta Rosa
MANILA, Philippines — With the fate of several Cabinet members hanging in the balance, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has chosen to retain key officials who were instrumental in the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Following the dismal performance of his senatorial slate in the 2025 midterm elections, Marcos has begun overhauling his Cabinet, removing several officials who reportedly failed to meet his standards.
In a Palace briefing on Thursday, May 29, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced the latest round of Cabinet movements, confirming that Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, and Defense Secretary Gilbert "Gibo" Teodoro would remain in their posts.
When asked whether secretaries involved in Duterte’s arrest would be retained, Bersamin criticized the phrasing of the question, which described the arrest as "illegal."
“I do not like your qualification of the arrest as illegal. That is an opinionated statement made by somebody. We will not name who she is,” Bersamin said, likely alluding to Vice President Sara Duterte, the former president's daughter.
Bersamin went on to say that the president had “definitely declined” the resignations of the Remulla brothers and Teodoro.
Justice Secretary Remulla had earlier defended Duterte’s arrest, taking full responsibility for the operation. Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla also questioned the Senate for failing to investigate the drug war itself, rather than the arrest operation.
Beyond the Cabinet reshuffle, Marcos also promoted Police Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III as the next chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Torre was the officer who arrested Duterte at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, reading him his rights before placing him on a flight to The Hague, Netherlands, where the former president is set to stand trial for alleged crimes against humanity in connection with his administration's war on drugs.
The Marcos administration has faced heavy criticism from Duterte allies for turning the former president over to the ICC. Marcos, however, has maintained that Duterte’s arrest was part of fulfilling the Philippines’ international obligations.
While the Supreme Court has yet to rule on the legality of Duterte’s arrest, families of the drug war victims say his surrender marks a step toward justice. The death toll of Duterte’s drug war is estimated to range from 6,000 to as high as 30,000, though only four convictions have been recorded.
