Malacañang on Wednesday rejected claims that former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest amounted to “state kidnapping,” asserting that the legal process was properly followed.
At a press conference, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro said the arrest was carried out under due process and backed by legal authority.
“How can it be kidnapping when there was a warrant of arrest? It was issued by an authority, by the court,” she said. “Once a court issues an order, we have to comply, especially since this was done through Interpol.”
Castro argued that the claim of kidnapping was unfounded since a court-issued warrant was served. She added that resisting law enforcement officers serving court orders was not acceptable.
“You cannot just ignore or attack an officer serving a legal order, whether it’s a sheriff or another authority,” Castro said. “If there is a valid court order, we should abide by it.”
The Palace Press Officer maintained that the government had followed proper procedures, including seeking assistance from Interpol, and had all necessary legal documents to justify Duterte’s arrest.
“There is no element of force here,” Castro said. “All the requirements to make the warrant and the request for Interpol assistance valid are present. We have all the necessary paperwork.”
Vice President Sara Duterte and their supporters on Tuesday called her father’s arrest as “state kidnapping.”
“It’s some sort of, I don’t know, what you call ‘state kidnapping’,” she said in an ambush interview at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
The Vice President was denied entry to the air base to visit her detained father.
Duterte’s arrest has sparked controversy, with some of his allies calling it a politically motivated move.
Malacañang, however, insists that the process adhered to legal standards.
