Bill bans Duterte-like arrest

A SENATOR has filed a bill seeking to prohibit the arrest and transfer of any person within Philippine territory to foreign jurisdiction without a court order, prompted by the arrest of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte in March.

Senate Bill no. 557, which Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos called the “President Rodrigo R. Duterte Act,” was filed to prevent such “abuses” from being committed against others.

“It is necessary to make it exceedingly clear — if it is not yet clear already — that arresting an individual for the purpose of turning him or her over to a foreign jurisdiction without an order and a warrant of arrest issued by a Philippine court is against the Constitution and punishable under the law.”

The former President was arrested in March by local authorities under the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), for his alleged crimes against humanity linked to his war on drugs. He is currently being detained in The Hague, Netherlands.

Ms. Marcos asserted in the explanatory note of the bill that the ICC did not have any jurisdiction over the crimes allegedly committed by Mr. Duterte, and that the government “forced” Mr. Duterte to board the plane that later flew him to The Hague.

The bill also prohibits any form of financial, technical, material or technological support or assistance to a foreign entity or court that is not recognized by the Philippines.

It also disallows cooperation with the government unless approved by the Departments of Justice and Interior and Local Government.

The bill states that any person may seek to deny any via request issues to an alien if there is substantial evidence to prove that they are visiting the country to conduct or aid in investigation for a foreign entity.

Violation of the proposed measure would entail between six to 20 years in prison or a six-month imprisonment and a P10-million fine. — Adrian H. Halili