Police Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III and Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo has denied the allegations of harassment during the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, insisting that he was given proper treatment and that the operation was carried out professionally and in accordance with the law.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Sir, when the warrant of arrest was being served, what was the situation like?
00:09Was it chaotic?
00:11How was it?
00:13Please describe it to us.
00:15Well, in all stages of the warrant service, it was okay, everyone was calm.
00:23Everyone was just expressing their...
00:27Each one expressing his own opinion.
00:29But at the end of the day, we insisted that he join us because we were arresting him.
00:34At that time, was the former President Duterte in a wheelchair?
00:38Or was it normal for him to walk?
00:40He was offered a wheelchair but he declined.
00:42So ES Medialdea used his wheelchair.
00:44So physically, the condition of the former President Duterte at that time was okay?
00:51It was okay.
00:53And until now, until last night when he was received by the ICC, he is fine.
01:01And actually, before he got off the plane, he made a video on social media.
01:08He says that he is fine.
01:10Okay.
01:11As for General G, you are avoiding Senator Bong Go's questions.
01:19How will you answer this?
01:21This is what happened, ma'am.
01:23When they were about to board the plane and transfer to Villamore,
01:26I was supposed to board the vehicle of the CPNP and let it leave.
01:32But the door of the van was locked.
01:35The vehicle was about to leave.
01:37I was chasing it.
01:38I did not avoid it.
01:39With due respect to Senator Bong Go, if he was offended, I apologize.
01:43But there was no intention on my part to chase him.
01:46It so happened that I was chasing the convoy.
01:48That is why I ran away from their direction.
01:52So from there, at the airport, they brought him to the Villamore Air Base.
01:57Correct, ma'am.
01:58Yes, ma'am.
01:59Okay.
02:00When he entered and was brought to the Villamore Air Base,
02:03General Torre, please describe.
02:05Because earlier, you were telling us that the President was relaxed
02:08and he was sitting on the chair of the President.
02:12Please describe that.
02:14Well, the particular place in Villamore is the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing.
02:22That is the lounge of the President of the Philippines.
02:26And when he was the President, he was sitting on the same seat as the President.
02:32We gave it to him.
02:33Even his companions, they were there in the most comfortable lounge,
02:37arguably in any airport in the Philippines.
02:42How many were there in this lounge?
02:47We did not count.
02:51I'll give you the exact.
02:53I did not see it, ma'am, in our entire accounting.
02:56But do you remember who were with the former President Duterte in the lounge?
03:02Aside from the former PRRD,
03:08there was Hannelette, her daughter, Kitty,
03:11her husband, Migel Dea,
03:14and Atty. Delgra.
03:16There were three retired generals and their spouses.
03:24Then there were several people, because the lounge was full.
03:28They were all in one coaster.
03:31We brought them from the exit gate of NIA to the lounge.
03:36They were on the bus of PNP.
03:39It was full.
03:40You also told me earlier that you should have remembered,
03:43if I'm right, the women of our police force.
03:49From start to finish, not one of our people touched PRRD.
03:56I did not allow it.
03:58The only people who touched him are his bodyguards.
04:03There was Romy, his bodyguard.
04:07There were two other bodyguards.
04:10Romy was the only one who remembered him,
04:12plus a personal nurse from the police.
04:15Then there was another male bodyguard and another male police bodyguard.
04:21Those were the only people who touched him directly,
04:24aside from his family and parts of his entourage.
04:28None of the police touched PRRD.
04:33Is it true that those who implemented it were wearing body cameras?
04:38We have body cameras, ma'am.
04:40We are complete.
04:42More than enough body cameras and also the alternative recording devices that we recorded,
04:46including cellphones.
04:48They also have cellphones.
04:49We did not deprive them of anything.
04:51At the time, he was in the Villa More Air Base.
04:55He was in the lounge.
04:56How about his food?
04:58We heard that he was deprived of food,
05:01so Senator Bong Go needs to bring pizza.
05:05Please describe the situation there.
05:07There was no deprivation at any moment of their right to food and water.
05:14In fact, we are still delivering.
05:16They are just declining because there is too much food and too much.
05:22They have a delivery, they will deliver, and we will also deliver.
05:26So, there's really no problem.
05:28The contention is not right that we will deprive them of food.
05:31A box of pizza was delivered that Senator Bong Go bought.
05:37I did not see that pizza, but there was really a lot of food.
05:41Maybe it was part of my birthday celebration.
05:45He's celebrating.
05:47Anyway, did the former President Duterte's condition improve?
05:52Did his sugar level go down?
05:54What happened?
05:56Or nothing?
05:58Throughout the time that we were in the holding area,
06:08there was a PNP doctor.
06:10His personal doctors came.
06:12There were nurses from the PNP.
06:14And the chief of the hospital, of the Villamor Airbrace Hospital, also came.
06:18So, there were two doctors.
06:20One came from the Air Force.
06:24There was a surgeon.
06:26One, as far as I know, was a GP.
06:30And there were a lot of nurses.
06:35So, medical personnel and his personal doctor came.
06:39So, in other words, all the medical needs that the former President Duterte needed
06:45are accessible to him.
06:47He can get it right away if he needs it.
06:51Yes.
06:52Because they say that he is now oxygenating.
06:55There is a picture that shows that he is lying down.
06:58What is the tube that is placed in his nose?
07:00If you know.
07:01When the time came when he said that he was tired and wanted to lie down,
07:05we provided him with...
07:07Because it was his bedroom before.
07:10So, we gave him a foam.
07:13We gave him a blanket.
07:15And we put blinders in the area where he can sleep.
07:21And he actually slept.
07:22He is asleep the whole time.
07:25That's why in the afternoon, when I said,
07:28you have been talking to your lawyers for a long time,
07:32how can you talk to him and make him sleep?
07:34That's already, you know,
07:36it's just a stretch.
07:38Another blockade to justify that he is not allowed to board the airplane.
07:43It's like there are delaying tactics.
07:45It's just delaying tactics, ma'am.
07:47But at the end of the day,
07:48there's no deprivation whatsoever of legal counsel,
07:54his medicine, his food.
07:56None of that.
07:57And we gave him all of that.
07:59His medical needs are still too much.
08:02But he was requested to be brought to the hospital, right?
08:05At that time,
08:06did he really need to be brought to the hospital?
08:09My answer at that time,
08:11I answered them, regarding that matter,
08:13Sir, in the hospital, you will also be examined by these doctors.
08:18The only difference is the location.
08:21But what they will do to you is exactly the same.
08:23Because all the equipment is here.
08:26So, they are saying that he needs a full check-up, ECG.
08:33Even the ECG machine, we inserted it.
08:35The ECG was inserted.
08:37And I asked him,
08:39Sir, today, at this point,
08:42the whole Philippines has been arrested by those who violated the law.
08:48By virtue of a warrant, warrantless arrest, and implementation of search warrant.
08:52I asked him, Sir,
08:54how many of them were brought to the Presidential Lounge?
08:58They were also given a booking kit
09:05where he can sit very comfortably.
09:08You are the only one, Sir, who received this special treatment.
09:12So, don't stretch it.
09:13We need you to be booked.
09:16Until the end, he did not agree.
09:19Sir, we saw in other videos,
09:21maybe our fellow countrymen don't know,
09:23did you read the rights of the former President Duterte?
09:28I read his rights.
09:31He is still behind me to witness his reading of his rights,
09:35our Prosecutor General.
09:38Okay.
09:39So, at that time,
09:40when it started,
09:42I don't know how far, General Torrey,
09:45did you receive harassment,
09:49physical harassment,
09:51or verbal harassment?
09:53Did you receive anything at that time?
09:55I was physically pushed by Hannelette.
09:58She held me.
09:59She held me very tightly.
10:02When we met in the hallway,
10:05in the video, I was insulted by her son.
10:08And,
10:10President Duterte himself reminded me that I will retire.
10:14I will retire.
10:15And,
10:16I will be accompanied by his children and his family
10:19after my retirement,
10:21even before my retirement.
10:22He pushed me.
10:24But,
10:25everything is okay.
10:27We are just thick-skinned,
10:28and we can overcome that.
10:33Ma'am Jean,
10:34there are other members of the Police
10:37who have also received this kind of harassment.
10:39Can you tell us about this?
10:41Yes, Ma'am.
10:42Aside from General Torrey,
10:43I, myself, was also subjected to harsh words.
10:47General Torrey said,
10:50maximum tolerance.
10:51I said, if there is anything higher than maximum tolerance,
10:54that is what we will do.
10:55Even if we were insulted,
10:57we were taught.
10:58In fact, our police there also insulted us
11:02and said hurtful words.
11:05And,
11:06Ms. Hannelette,
11:07our police was hit in the head
11:10and sustained a severe blow to her head
11:14and was brought to the hospital.
11:16But, in spite of that,
11:17no one harmed them.
11:20No one was hurt by our police.
11:22And, they let their words and actions to us.
11:28Can we show the video?
11:30Can we show it?
11:32So that we can watch it all?
11:37Ma'am Jean, please describe that.
11:39That is the picture, Ma'am.
11:40We blurred the face of our female police officer,
11:45because they were the ones who attacked Ms. Hannelette
11:49and her son
11:50to put them aside temporarily.
11:52That is the huge blow.
11:54And, there is a video
11:56that was captured
11:58where Ms. Hannelette's cell phone was hit by our police.
12:03Was that hit in the head?
12:04Was it a CT scan?
12:06Yes, Ma'am.
12:07That is the video.
12:08You can see how she was hit.
12:32You can see that in the video, Ma'am.
12:34They were put aside.
12:35Yes, Ma'am.
12:36Because the time that was given to them
12:39and it has come to a point
12:41that General Torrey decided that it has to stop.
12:45We need to complete the process.
12:47So, what our police did was to put aside
12:50Ms. Hannelette and her son
12:52so that we can get the former president
12:58and bring him to the bus.
13:00But, what we can see in the video
13:02is moving forward.
13:04Where is Kitty, the daughter, going?
13:09She is trying to move forward.
13:13Where is she going?
13:15They want to go back, Ma'am,
13:16to the area where our former president was.
13:20So, our police
13:22are putting them aside?
13:23Yes.
13:24They are restraining them.
13:25They are putting them aside
13:26and putting them aside
13:27so that they will not go back to the area
13:29where our former president was.
13:32It is better to explain that situation
13:34because there might be other stories
13:36and they might say that they are being harassed.
13:38So, they are moving forward, going forward
13:42to go back to the area where our former president was.
13:45Yes, Ma'am.
13:46Okay.
13:47So, after that,
13:49when the situation of our former president was okay,
13:53physically,
13:55his condition was okay,
13:58how did you get him to board the aircraft?
14:05Well, I think the turning point there
14:09was the time when the CES Middle Day was really happening
14:12and I really gave him a warning,
14:14Sir, this is over.
14:16We have been talking for a while
14:17about when you should join the airplane.
14:19You, join the airplane.
14:20And,
14:22we have been talking about other things.
14:25It is already judged.
14:26So,
14:28the CES Middle Day dared me to arrest him
14:33and I did.
14:34So, I gave him his right.
14:36I arrested him for PD 1829.
14:40So,
14:42and I put him in jail.
14:43So, when I dragged him out, far away,
14:45in jail,
14:47maybe PRRD saw that I am serious
14:51and we will not be defeated.
14:53But, we do believe that the majesty of the law
14:56has to reign supreme.
14:59The law should be obeyed.
15:00But Sir, I saw in the video,
15:02did you read it?
15:03Or are you saying that he has his rights?
15:05I warned CES Middle Day,
15:07Sir, if you do not leave there,
15:09this will not end.
15:11Because of that,
15:13I will arrest you for obstruction of justice
15:16under PD 1829.
15:19And he dared me.
15:20So, I redeemed his rights.
15:23And I told,
15:24asked him to,
15:25if he understood these rights,
15:28when he said,
15:29he affirmed,
15:30he understood,
15:31Sir, you are under arrest for PD 1829.
15:33Come on, Sir.
15:34So, I arrested him and took him away.
15:36When PRRD saw that,
15:37because I came back,
15:38I put him in the bus,
15:40I brought him to the prison.
15:42I said, Sir,
15:43next time,
15:44I will follow Atty. Delcry.
15:45But,
15:46they left
15:47and joined PRRD.
15:49So, in other words, Sir,
15:50Ma'am Jean said,
15:51you did maximum tolerance.
15:53So, how many hours,
15:54and how long did it take
15:55for him to be slapped?
15:57When he was brought to the plane.
15:5912 hours, Ma'am.
16:0012 hours.
16:01Were you that patient?
16:03Was the member of the police that patient?
16:06General Fardo said,
16:09Ma'am,
16:10more than the maximum
16:11of the maximum tolerance.
16:12Okay.
16:13So,
16:14when he was slapped,
16:17he said,
16:18Sir,
16:19this is just a sandwich
16:20that was eaten
16:22by the former President Duterte
16:24while he was on a trip.
16:26I think, Ma'am,
16:27they will get it back
16:28when they remember
16:29that there were many
16:30cellphone videos there.
16:32Because,
16:33in reality,
16:34even in the airplane,
16:35there was a video
16:36where the former PRRD
16:38was eating
16:40a full meal.
16:41A full meal, really.
16:42They will get it back, Ma'am.
16:43So, in other words,
16:44these kinds of narratives,
16:47what is this?
16:48Just to be negative,
16:49the implementation
16:51of the warrant of arrest
16:52and the whole operation?
16:54I don't see any other reason, Ma'am,
16:56for them to release that.
16:57But at the end of the day,
16:59it will be their word
17:00against our
17:01cellphone videos.
17:02And at the same time,
17:03as you said earlier,
17:05the condition of the former President Duterte
17:07is good
17:08and he has arrived
17:09in the Netherlands.
17:11That's why, Ma'am,
17:12we have now the benefit
17:13of a 2020 hindsight.
17:15Even the doctor there,
17:17of the ICC,
17:18is saying that
17:19he's fit
17:20and he's okay.
17:21And even he himself,
17:22before he got off the airplane,
17:24he made a video
17:25and sent it to his family
17:26and his family posted it.
17:28Saying, I'm okay.
17:29How many people were with him,
17:31the former President Duterte,
17:33on his trip?
17:35His close in security
17:37was with him, Ma'am.
17:38His personal nurse,
17:40Atorne Mildialdia.
17:42In your government, Ma'am,
17:43there are two doctors
17:45with him.
17:46Two CIDG
17:48and the representative
17:50of PCTC.
17:51Even their ambassador
17:53is with him.
17:54Wait, Ma'am.
17:55At that time,
17:56of course,
17:57there was no visa.
17:58Atorne Mildialdia,
18:01or ES,
18:02former ES,
18:03how was he allowed
18:06to join
18:08the former President Duterte?
18:09Actually, Ma'am,
18:10they all don't have a visa.
18:11However,
18:13our Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands
18:15helped them
18:16to process their visas.
18:18Even their appropriate clothing
18:21was provided
18:22by the Philippine Embassy
18:23because it's cold there.
18:24So when they arrived there,
18:25they were immediately informed
18:27of their needs,
18:28including the process
18:30of their temporary visas.
18:31Our Philippine Embassy
18:32was the one who helped there.
18:34Okay, so even though ES
18:35was able to provide
18:37proper clothing,
18:40because of the cold climate,
18:42all of them, Ma'am.
18:44Just a question.
18:45We will release the pictures,
18:46Ma'am,
18:47to you.
18:48Even toothbrushes,
18:49toothpaste,
18:50and mouthwash are provided.
18:51So let's not believe
18:53those who say
18:54that former President Duterte
18:56was deprived of his rights
18:58because our government
19:00helped them.
19:10For more UN videos visit www.un.org