MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are planning to ask the Office of the Ombudsman more time to answer charges in connection with the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
According to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, he met with Philippine National Police – Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) officials led by Major General Nicolas Torre to map out their reply to the charges.
Remulla added that among the matters they plan to bring up are the pending cases before the Supreme Court (SC) which may pose a prejudicial question on the Ombudsman cases.
“We just agreed that we’ll adopt, we’ll just have one answer for all procedural issues, aside from the other allegations that are individual. Then we have an answer for everyone for the commonly held issues,” Remulla said.
“Separate submissions, but we will have a general answer for procedural issues. We might have to get an extension because 10 days is not enough,” he added.
Remulla said it is difficult to answer something that is sub judice, or pending in a court of law.
Court rules disallow lawyers from taking part in the public discussion of a pending case that tends to sway the tribunal to rule and side with a party of the case.
Following Duterte’s arrest and transfer to the Netherlands, a number of petitions have been filed by his children and others before the Supreme Court.
“It’s sub judice. Wala pa ngang determination ang Supreme Court sa nangyari,” Remulla said./PN
