Duterte Son Files Kidnapping, Abduction Charges Against Remulla, Others
MANILA, Philippines – Sebastian Duterte, son of former President Rodrigo Duterte, has filed a 160-page affidavit-complaint alleging kidnapping and abduction against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and other officials, stemming from his father’s detention and subsequent transfer to the Netherlands in march 2025.
The complaint details the events of March 11, 2025, when the former president was allegedly illegally arrested upon arrival at NAIA Terminal 3 from Hong Kong. According to the affidavit, officials presented only an Interpol diffusion notice – not a valid arrest warrant or Red Notice – and disregarded requests from Duterte’s lawyers and family, including vice President Sara Duterte, for access and legal documentation.
The complaint further alleges that the former president, who suffers from diabetes, was denied immediate medical attention despite a doctor’s certification warning of life-threatening complications. He and his entourage were reportedly detained at Villamor Airbase for hours before being flown to the Netherlands via a chartered Gulfstream jet (tail number RP-C5129) without a Philippine court order or valid extradition process.
Sebastian Duterte, filing on behalf of his father who remains detained abroad, argues that the International Criminal court (ICC) lost jurisdiction over the Philippines following the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019. He accuses the respondents of violating numerous laws,citing command responsibility and direct participation.
The filing comes shortly after Senator Imee Marcos filed a motion for reconsideration on an earlier Ombudsman decision dismissing her complaint against the same officials regarding the former president’s arrest. Marcos maintains her case against Remulla and others remains active, despite the Ombudsman’s September 12 dismissal of the complaints, confirmed by Remulla and Interior and local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla. Marcos stated she filed the motion for reconsideration the same day the decision was issued, within the legally allowed five-day period.
Justice Secretary Remulla previously stated, “We acted in accordance with international legal processes and our domestic laws, including Republic Act 9851. The portrayal of these events is a complete distortion aimed at sowing political discord.” He characterized the allegations as a “political spectacle designed to attack my credibility.”
