The Office of Ombudsman has ordered officials involved in the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and eventual surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to file counter-affidavits on Tuesday.

The Ombudsman’s order follows Senator Imee Marcos’ request to investigate officials involved in Duterte’s arrest, stating that officials could be liable for graft and grave misconduct, among other cases.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group head Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, and Special Envoy on Transnational Crime Markus Lacanilao were ordered to respond to the criminal and administrative charges together with the affidavit of their witnesses, among other supporting documents, within 10 days from the receipt of the order.

The officials were accused by Marcos of illegal detention and kidnapping of the former President, who was detained in Villamor Air Base on March 11 after arriving from Hong Kong before he was flown to The Hague, Netherlands to face alleged crimes against humanity.

“Failure to file Counter-Affidavit within the aforesaid period shall be deemed as waiver of respondents’ right to submit controverting evidence and the preliminary investigation shall proceed accordingly,” the order said. Yzabela Velez-White/DMS