Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo claimed on Tuesday that the arrest made against former President Rodrigo Duterte is an "unlawful arrest."
In an official statement, Panelo claimed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) prevented one of his lawyers from meeting him at the airport and questioning the legal grounds for Duterte's arrest.
"He was deprived of legal representation at the time of his arrest. The PNP could not have a hard copy of the warrant arrest," said Panelo.
Panelo further stated that by preventing one of Duterte's lawyers from meeting him, the arresting officers could avoid being asked if they had the hard copy of the arrest warrant.
"It is an illegal arrest because the ICC arrest warrant comes from a spurious source, the ICC, which has no jurisdiction over the Philippines," he added.
Moreover, he emphasized that the government's actions would make the arresting team, as well as the public officials ordering the arrest, criminally liable.
Ultimately, he argued that the arrest is politically driven, with intentions tied to the 2028 presidential race.
The former President's known ally previously confirmed in his vlog that Vice President Sara Duterte will run for president in the 2028 elections.
Malacañang confirmed that the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Duterte has been executed.
Duterte and his group arrived in Manila from Hong Kong at 9:20 a.m., on Tuesday. He had participated in a thanksgiving event with OFWs over the weekend, accompanied by the senatorial candidates he was endorsing.
Upon his arrival, the Prosecutor General served the ICC notification for an arrest warrant against the former President for crimes against humanity.
