MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Chief Major General Nicolas Torre III stood by his actions during the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Thursday, Torre was questioned why he also needed to arrest former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

“Parang wala namang basehan para arestuhin si ES Medialdea. He is just blocking you,” Committee Chairperson Senator Imee Marcos told Torre.

“He has been doing that for the past 10 hours,” Torre reasoned.

“Did you actually arrest Medialdea to coerce PRRD to get on the plane? Nanakot kayo?” Marcos pressed.

“I just arrested Medialdea based on fact which is obstruction of justice,” Torre said. “Nasa gitna namin siya.”

Marcos then asked why Torre did not bring Medialdea to prison if he was already arrested. Why was he allowed to accompany Duterte in the plane?

“Having arrested him you cannot just release him. Bawal yun, infidelity in the custody of prisoners,” Marcos pointed out.

Torre answered, “Those are decisions made in the context ng situation during the time. Sumakay siya sa eroplano, pinasakay namin siya.”

Marcos also grilled Torre on why he needed to pull Attorney Martin Delgra III, Duterte’s counsel, away from the former President.

Delgra who was present via video conferencing said he too was baffled with what happened.

“Ako nasa tabi ng dating Pangulo inaadvise namin siya as our counsel to invoke the legal remedies available to him,” Delgra said. “I was pulled out by one of the PNP personnel away from the President. Shortly thereafter, they were able to secure the body of the President.”

Torre replied, “I do believe that everything that I did during the time are all within the ambit of the law. Ngayon kung may mga taong gustong magreklamo at ireklamo ako, I can answer them in the proper forum if they file the appropriate charges in court.”

Torre added that since the Department of Justice (DOJ) and PNP were with him, he had no reason to question the legality of the order to arrest Duterte.

DOJ Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon defended Torre and said the videos uploaded on social media do not show the entirety of events.

“Yung proseso po sinunod at mahabang panahon ang dumaan bago tayo dumating sa punto na kinailangan nang gawin ni General Torre na siguro pagsabihan at nung hindi sumunod ay pinosasan si former ES Medialdea” Fadulllon explained.

“It is incorrect to say there was no dilatory tactic,” he added.

Torre said the order to arrest Duterte came from PNP Chief General Rommel Marbil.

When asked who gave Marbil the order he invoked executive privilege, which Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla defended.

“That’s executive privilege po basta usapan na po within the executive department hindi na po namin pwedeng ilabas dito,” Remulla said. “The decision making process of the executive department, especially of the top level kasama na po kami ay executive privilege. But I have gone as far as saying that I gave clearance.”

Remulla said he gave clearance to his brother, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

Senators, gov't execs clash on Duterte flight to ICC

Duterte was arrested on March 11  on his arrival from Hong Kong at the request of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as part of its probe into his "war on drugs" that defined his presidency.

The ICC warrant for Duterte's arrest said that as president, the 80-year-old Duterte allegedly created, funded, and armed death squads that carried out murders of purported drug users and dealers.

He was brought to The Hague in the Netherlands on the same day he was arrested.

Duterte on March 14 appeared via video link before ICC judges. He is set to attend a September 25 hearing to confirm the charges against him.