DAVAO CITY – Mayor Sebastian Duterte, son of former President Rodrigo Duterte, chided President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. over the arrest of his father due to alleged crimes against humanity on Tuesday, March 11.
Mayor Duterte called the arrest of his father as a political maneuver of the Marcos administration to divert the public's attention from the 2025 national budget issue.
The Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, with the Philippine National Police, served the warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against former President Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity during his campaign against illegal drugs.
"This is not the Philippine National Police serving a warrant since they cannot even justify their actions. This is a political maneuver of the Bongbong Marcos administration. Be prepared no matter what," the mayor said in his Facebook page.
He added that the Marcos administration is fantasizing that this scenario would materialize with a hope that the issue on the national budget would just go away. "The smell of desperation," he said.
Former President Duterte was arrested as the Duterte and Marcos camps are locked in a political squabble.
Lawyers and political allies of the Dutertes questioned the legality of the national budget due to alleged irregularities.
Vice President Sara Duterte is facing impeachment complaints due to alleged misuse of confidential funds.
Meanwhile, hundreds of former President Duterte's supporters on board motorcycles conducted a unity ride here on Tuesday night in support of the former Chief Executive.
Provincial police offices, including those in the Davao region, nationwide have been placed on heightened alert status following the arrest of former President Duterte.