US President Donald Trump greets Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte at the 31st ASEAN Summit at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Ali Vicoy, Pool/file 

(UPDATED) Is former president Rodrigo Duterte covered by the protection of US President Donald Trump's sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC)?

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Imee Marcos asked this question as she singled out a provision of Trump's order.

"Ito naman yung tungkol sa executive order ng US. Noong March 28, ang sinabi ng gobyerno, ICC has no jurisdiction. Itong taon na ito, this is just the latest in a series of statements na ang ICC walang jurisdiction dito sa ating bansa."

"Eh gusto ko sanang tanungin ulit sa ating executive kung ang dating Pangulong Duterte ay nasa ilalim ng protected person under the executive order issued by the US President Trump, which imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court," she said.

"Under Section 8D2 of the EO, any foreign person who's a citizen or ally of the US that has not consented to ICC jurisdiction, o parang Pilipinas, over that person or state party is a protected person sa ilalim nung kay Presidente Trump," she added. "So ang Pilipinas hindi na state party at yung executive sinasabi naman na hindi talaga ICC ang may jurisdiction sa atin. Kaya gusto ko sana tanungin, si Presidente Duterte ba ay isa sa protected person sa ilalim ng executive order ni Presidente Trump, non-NATO ally na former or current official?"

"So gusto ko malaman kung SI PRRD nga ay protected person sa ilalim ng Executive Order, eh sino ang mako-cover sa asset freeze under Section 1 ng Executive Order ni Presidente Trump? Pwede bang parusahan ang mga sumapi sa pag-aresto katulad ni General Torre. Anong mangyayari kina Garma at kina Leonardo? Kasi ang pagkaalam natin, yung iba sa kanila at yung pamilya nila ay nasa Amerika na. SakoP ba sila nung executive order ni Presidente Trump? So yan ang mga katanungan natin kasi lumalawak na lumalawak itong pagsisiyasat natin. Umabot na sa US, kung saan alam natin, nagtatago sila," she added.

Senator Ronald dela Rosa also said the owner of the plan used to ferry Duterte to The Hague may be covered by the sanctions.

"Siguro naman, it is a moral obligation of this committee also to share our findings of this committee to President Donald Trump. Para kung sino mang may-ari itong Gulf Stream na ito, na eroplano, ay kung may mga ari-arian ito sa Amerika, i-covered siya sa executive order na pinirmahan ni President Trump. So kung sino mang may-ari ng eroplano na yan, mananagot siya kay President Trump," he claimed.

However, there was no one from the Executive Department who could answer the questions of Marcos and Dela Rosa they skipped the hearing and invoked executive privilege.

Empty chairs at Senate inquiry on Duterte arrest as Cabinet execs skip hearing

Senate President Francis Escudero confirmed receiving a letter from Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin explaining their decision to skip the probe.

"We firmly reiterate that executive privilege applies in these proceedings... Executive privilege, which is rooted in the separation of powers between co-equal branches of government, is a fundamental aspect of the President's powers, designed to protect the confidentiality of sensitive information," the letter noted.

Duterte was arrested on March 11  on his arrival from Hong Kong at the request of the 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. 

SENATOR MARCOS: PH GOV'T HOSTED ICC PERSONNEL

Senator Marcos, meanwhile, on Thursday that the government hosted and cooperated with ICC personnel who were in the country last year ahead of the arrest warrant that the ICC issued against Duterte. 

Marcos identified the ICC personnel as Maya Destura Brackeen, William Rosato, Amir John Kassam, and Glen Roderick Thomas Kala.

"At kahit sinasabi ng ating kagalanggalang Secretary of Justice, sana narito siya, sabi niya, labas-masok ang dayuhan sa Pilipinas. Libo-libo sila, daan-libo pa ang pumapasok. Na waring di natin nalalaman. Ngunit, kilala ng ating Bureau of Immigration ang ilang ICC mga tauhan na klaro na pumasok dito," she said.

"Unang-una, maliwanag si Maya Destura Brackeen. Dumating noong October 4, 2024. Siya ay galing US at interpreter siya noong ICC. Maliwanag po yan at maliwanag din na dumating siya sa Pilipinas."

"Ikalawa, nandito din yung protection expert para ipagtanggol ang mga testigo. Ang pangalan William Rosato dumating sa Pilipinas October 15, 2024."

"Mahabang pagpalano ito nakita din natin na may dumating  din na isa pang protection expert at iba pang mga dumating na si Amir John Kassam. Dumating October 20."

"At yung investigador dumating din sa October 24. Siya yung huli. Ang huling ICC na nasa record ko, October 24, Glenn Roderick Thomas Kala. Siya naman yung investigador at hindi ko alam kung kumpleto na ito dahil meron pang binabanggit na Robin Croft na abogado naman nila," Marcos said.

"At may binabanggit din sa kanilang mga usapin na bagong team ng tatlo parating daw ng 19 October. Hindi ko na nakuha yung pangalan pero maliwanag na merong mga dumating na ICC at nagpakilala bilang tauhan talaga ng ICC na may kanyang-kanyang espesyalidad. May protection expert, may investigador,  may interpreter may abugado."

Marcos said they were even housed in three hotels.

She alleged that the ICC personnel came with specific requests, and these became the basis for the arrest warrant that the ICC issued against Duterte.

"I also received information na yung ICC personnel pala may agenda, may mga informasyon galing sa administrasyon na hinihingi."