Cayetano: Suddenly flying a Filipino to The Hague without legal remedies 'mind-boggling'
March 13, 2025
Cayetano: Suddenly flying a Filipino to The Hague without legal remedies 'mind-boggling'
Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday stressed that no Filipino, whether an ordinary citizen or a former president, should be flown to a foreign court without first being given the right to legal remedies in their own country.
In a Facebook livestream shortly after Interpol flew former president Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague, Cayetano expressed disbelief over what he called a lack of due process.
"It just boggles my mind how we could put him on a plane and simply say, 'Sa Hague na lang magpaliwanag,'" he said.
Cayetano, who is a lawyer, stressed that it is every Filipino's basic right to undergo due process and be subject to the Philippine justice system first.
"Ang pinaka-minimum is due process and letting everyone avail of the legal remedies," he said.
He also asked whether the Philippine courts even verified the warrant of arrest.
"Hindi ba basic right ng kahit sinong Pilipino, much more a former President, na he can go to court and ask the court to interpret [the situation] bago natin gawin [ang arrest]?" he said.
The senator warned that this incident could send the wrong message to Filipinos and the world that the country's own judicial system can be bypassed.
"Hindi pwedeng may korte [tayo], huhulihin mo tapos isasakay mo na lang sa eroplano... [We] have a court, [we] have a system that's working," he said.
"Kailangan malinaw sa DOJ, sa PNP, sa militar, sa practicing lawyers, sa mga businessmen, sa mga anak natin, na sa Pilipinas, kapag may nag-accuse sa 'yo, you have a court that you can run to and [be given] reasonable time," he added.
Cayetano argued that the "reasonable" course of action would have been to allow the 79-year-old former president to rest first, consult with his lawyers, and for the Philippine courts to "sort out the confusion."
"Will they (Philippine embassy) give assistance to PRRD knowing na dito hindi natin hinintay y'ung korte? Paano y'ung mga lawyers na kailangan niya doon? Paano y'ung doctors na kailangan niya doon?" he asked.
In the end, Cayetano urged Filipinos to stay united "not for politics but for doing what is right."
"Nationwide, I know this is a very divisive issue... Alam kong serious y'ung charges... and I also criticized behind closed doors," he said.
"But ang point ko, pagdating sa due process at legal remedies, hindi dapat tayo hati-hati," he added.
He called on Filipinos to join him in praying for the country and its leaders.
"Pray for the country. We're at a crossroads. Pray for the PNP, pray for our courts," he said.
Cayetano: Hindi tamang dalhin ang kahit sinong Pilipino sa The Hague nang walang due process
Walang sinumang Pilipino, ordinaryo man o dating pangulo, ang pwedeng basta-basta na lang isakay sa eroplano at dalhin sa dayuhang korte nang hindi man lang idinadaan sa sariling korte ng Pilipinas.
Sa isang Facebook livestream ilang oras matapos dalhin ng Interpol si dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa The Hague, hindi maitago ni Cayetano ang pagkadismaya sa aniya'y kawalan ng due process.
"It just boggles my mind how we could put him on a plane and simply say, 'Sa Hague na lang magpaliwanag,'" sabi niya.
Bilang isang abogado, iginiit ni Cayetano na batayang karapatan ng bawat Pilipino ang dumaan muna sa legal na proseso sa sariling bansa.
"Ang pinaka-minimum is due process and letting everyone avail of the legal remedies," pahayag ni Cayetano.
Tinanong din niya kung kinumpirma ba mismo ng mga korte sa Pilipinas ang warrant of arrest.
"Hindi ba basic right ng kahit sinong Pilipino, much more a former President, na he can go to court and ask the court to interpret [the situation] bago natin gawin [ang arrest]?" dagdag pa niya.
Babala ni Cayetano, baka magbigay ito ng maling mensahe sa mga Pilipino at sa buong mundo na pwedeng bale-walain na lang ang sariling justice system ng bansa.
"Hindi pwedeng may korte [tayo], huhulihin mo tapos isasakay mo na lang sa eroplano... [We] have a court, [we] have a system that's working," sabi niya.
"Kailangan malinaw sa DOJ, sa PNP, sa militar, sa practicing lawyers, sa mga businessmen, sa mga anak natin, na sa Pilipinas, kapag may nag-accuse sa 'yo, you have a court that you can run to and [be given] reasonable time," dagdag pa ng senador.
Giit ni Cayetano, mas makatuwiran sanang hinayaan munang makapagpahinga ang 79-anyos na dating pangulo, makausap ang mga abogado, at mabigyan ng sapat na panahon ang Supreme Court ng Pilipinas para ayusin ang usapin.
Aniya, may kalituhang nagaganap tungkol sa kung sino ang dapat na may jurisdiction sa kaso.
"Will they (Philippine embassy) give assistance to PRRD knowing na dito hindi natin hinintay y'ung korte? Paano y'ung mga lawyers na kailangan niya doon? Paano y'ung doctors na kailangan niya doon?" tanong niya.
Sa huli, nanawagan si Cayetano sa mga Pilipino na magkaisa hindi para sa pulitika kundi para sa paggawa ng tama.
"Nationwide, I know this is a very divisive issue... Alam kong serious y'ung charges... and I also criticized behind closed doors," pahayag niya.
"Pero ang point ko, pagdating sa due process at legal remedies, hindi dapat tayo hati-hati," dagdag ni Cayetano.
Nanawagan din siya sa lahat na ipagdasal ang bansa at ang mga namumuno nito.
"Pray for the country. We're at a crossroads. Pray for the PNP, pray for our courts," sabi niya.
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