(POLITIKO) Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada has scolded Police Major General Nicolas Torre III for the manner of arresting former president Rodrigo Duterte on March 11 at the Villamor Airbase.
Estrada attended virtually the Senate foreign relations committee hearing Thursday (March 20) on the Philippine government’s arrest of Duterte to whisk him away to The Hague to face his crimes against humanity case before the International Criminal Court for his drug war.
Estrada said he saw the video of Torre trying to pull away Duterte’s lawyers Salvador Medialdea and Martin Delgra III while they were at the Villamor Airbase.
He could not help but feel disgusted at Torre’s decision to forcefully arrest Duterte and even prevent his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte from entering the airbase.
Estrada was also outraged at Torre for saying – as caught on video – “Hihilahin ko yan!”
“When I saw the video, it was really for me, as a citizen of this country, it was really unbelievable, it was really a big disappointment,” Estrada said.
“Your statements based on the video may reflect on the Philippine National Police (PNP) as an institution. Baka sabihin lahat ng ating mga kababayan, ganyan pala ‘yung mga pulis. Masyadong ano, wala man lang karespe-respeto sa matanda, sa isang dating Pangulo,” he added.
Estrada said Duterte’s arrest reminded him of the time he and his father, deposed president Joseph Estrada, were also arrested to face a Sandiganbayan plunder trial on jueteng kickbacks in 2001 after second Edsa People Power. The son was acquitted, but the father and former president was convicted, only getting pardoned in 2007.
“I can relate, general. Because when we were arrested way back 2001 together with my father, the same thing happened. In the wee hours of the morning, the policemen barged in our hospital room at the Veterans Memorial Hospital. They were arresting us. They wanted us to be transferred to another detention cell. At ano sabi ng mga pulis? ‘Kaladkarin na yan mga ‘yan pag ayaw sumama,’” Estrada said.
“At the same time, when I saw the video, parang nag-flashback sa akin ‘yung ginawa ng mga kapulisan noong araw sa amin. At ang sabi mo, ‘hihilahin ko yan, hihilahin ko yan,’” he added.
In response, Torre, who is chief of the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, denied the statement was directed at Duterte.
He said it was directed at Medialdea, who was blocking the police from arresting Duterte. Torre said he arrested and handcuffed Medialdea for obstruction of justice.
“And I actually made good of it, sir. Sabi ko, sir, ‘hihilahin ko yan.’ And I went back to ES Medialdea, handcuffed him after reading him his rights and arrested him for obstruction of justice. And after that, sir, I brought him to the bus and came back again and told Attorney Delgra he’s next,” Torre said.
Torre said it was the former president himself who volunteered to go into the chartered plane that would take him to The Hague following the commotion between his lawyers and the police.
“All credit goes to the former president, because after he saw that I’m already very, very serious in bringing him to the plane, he prevented the situation from further deteriorating and escalating,” Torre said.
“He said, ‘Okay, let’s go.’ He went voluntarily to the bus that brought him to the plane,” he added.
Estrada said he hoped what happened to the former presidents Duterte and Estrada would not happen to other Philippine presidents after their terms – not even to Marcos Jr.
“I am not defending President Duterte. I’m just explaining the rights of an accused. Because naging akusado rin ako. And I don’t want that to happen to anybody else. Dapat naman nagbigay kayo ng konting kortesiya o respeto man lang sa mga dating presidente,” Estrada said.
“Dahil naranasan namin yan. Nung kinulong po yung tatay ko, ganun din. Kawalang respeto ang mga pulis sa amin. Porke’t nawala na ba kami sa kapangyarihan? Ganun na lang? Eh matanong ko naman sa iyo, General, huwag naman po sa ano mangyari, God forbid. Pag sumapit ng ganitong sitwasyon si Presidente Marcos, gagawin mo rin ba yun sa kanya? I hope not,” he added.