Senator Bong Go had a message for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following the latter’s earlier statement expressing openness to reconcile with the Duterte family.
According to Go, while he cannot speak on behalf of the Duterte family, sincerity is crucial if the President truly wants to pursue reconciliation. He said the first step should be to bring home former President Rodrigo Duterte.
"Kung sakali mang mayroong pag-uusap, I cannot speak in behalf of the family. My personal position on this, importante dito yung sinseridad, dapat sincere ka sa pag-uusap. Unang hakbang diyan ay pauwiin si Tatay Digong," Go told reporters on Wednesday.
"Kung kaya niyo pong ipadala sa loob ng 14 na oras si Tatay Digong, alam kong kaya niyong ipabalik dito sa lalong mabilis na panahon," he added.
Former President Duterte is currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) Detention Centre in Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands. He was arrested on March 11, 2025, in Manila under an ICC warrant for crimes against humanity related to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Despite being in detention, Duterte was re-elected as mayor of Davao City in absentia during the May 2025 midterm elections.
The ICC has charged Duterte with criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of murder, allegedly committed between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019. These charges relate to his tenure as both mayor of Davao City and President of the Philippines.
Duterte has contested the ICC’s jurisdiction, arguing that the Philippines' 2019 withdrawal from the Rome Statute exempts him from its authority. However, the ICC maintains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a State Party to the treaty.
President Marcos previously said in an interview that he is open to reconciling with his former Uniteam allies as he wants to maintain good relations with others in the government in order to easily accomplish the administration's goals.
On Wednesday, Malacañang reaffirmed that the President will uphold the rule of law and will not twist it to benefit the personal interests of others.
"Tandaan po natin, hindi po magpapahawak sa leeg at hindi po magpapadikta ang Pangulo sa mali. Hindi po tatalikuran at babaligtarin ng Pangulo ang batas para lamang pagsilbihan ang personal na interes ng iilan," said Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro.
"So, tandaan po natin, lagi pong sa batas ang Pangulo. Kaibigan o batas? Batas pa rin po ang pipiliin ng Pangulo," she added.
