THERE were so many unanswered questions that floated during the 2nd and 3rd hearing of the senate foreign relations committee chaired by Imee Marcos.
The ownership of the Gulfstream jet that ferried PRRD to The Hague – who owned it?
There is no more question that this particular aircraft is the favorite getaway jet of BBM. So when he travels on short distances, this jet always comes in handy to BBM.
Similarly, there is no more issue that it was the Office of the President who paid for the jet to ferry PRRD.
And there lies another question – if the arrest was ordered or upon the initiative of ICC, the ICC should have provided the jet or plane, and definitely not, repeat not, the Philippine government shouldering the cost of the jet. So what could possibly be the reason that BBM provided, and paid, for the jet?
Can you imagine the scenario when a person sought to be arrested by the police goes to the police station riding on his private vehicle, and not fetched by the police car?
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It is also worth noting that a person arrested and imprisoned is automatically entitled to his counsel of choice (the personal choice is important, not the choice of the police) as well as the right of access granted to members of his immediate family. A denial of such rights is legally actionable and those responsible may be held criminally liable.
In the case of PRRD, he was not yet detained or imprisoned, he was only arrested by the police. And yet, he was denied of his right to counsel, deprived of his right to exhaust legal remedies and also denied of his right of access to members of his immediate family.
Another nagging question – why the apparent haste to ferry PRRD out of the country, why the haste to “kidnap” him on the same day of his arrival from Hongkong, and not give him 1 week or 1 month to recuperate from his travel issues? Nganong nagdali man gyod nga i-surrender to the ICC, unsa may gidalian ni BBM?
Wala na man lang gani hatagi og chance nga makalukat og travel visa, including former ES Medialdea and the female caregiver.
There was also that very questionable involvement of the AFP in that “kidnapping operation.”
When asked, Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro admitted that they were deputized to the PNP, and that could be the reason why Villamor Air Base (owned and operated by the AFP) was used as the staging area of the kidnapping.
So who deputized the AFP?
The idea that immediately comes to mind is the officer above the Secretary of National Defense, and who would that be?
Obviously – that would be BBM.
Without the involvement of the AFP, then the police led by Gen Torre would not have easy access to Villamor Air Base, which explains the quick departure to The Hague.
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On the same hearing, it was learned that during the fateful kidnapping of PRRD, his blood sugar count spiked and there was a doctor’s recommendation for a hospital confinement, in order to stabilize his glucose level.
But apparently, a AFP physician issued the “go signal” for his travel to The Hague despite his fragile medical condition.
Yes, ngano man gyod kaha nga hilabihan man nila nga nagdali mapahawa si PRRD sa nasod?
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An ICC spokesman said it was the Philippine government that surrendered PRRD to the ICC and the issue that followed was – was the pertinent provision of the Rome Statute followed in that surrender?
Former Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago and former SC Justice Adolf Ascuna share the same view – there was violation of the Rome Statute because there ought to be a court proceedings first in the Philippines before the resort to the ICC.
In the case of PRRD, there was none, he was surrendered right away to the ICC sans court proceedings in the Philippines.
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Meanwhile, I would be very happy to vote for a senator or congressman who would initiate a bill on family dynasty.
