The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday said it will be representing the government in the consolidated petitions for habeas corpus filed by the Duterte siblings, following the earlier recusal of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
In an interview with reporters, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla confirmed that they were given the authorization to respond on behalf of the respondent government officials.
Among the respondents in the petitions include Remulla, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, and PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Director Nicolas Torre III, among others.
“We were given the authorization by the Executive Secretary to file a reply. The document that we submitted is enough to answer what the petitioners filed in court,” the DOJ chief said.
The petitions aim to compel the Philippine government to bring back former President Rodrigo Duterte to the country.
DOJ’s Remulla noted that there is already a judicial notice that hearings are already ongoing as such ‘it is already a done deal.’ He added the former president has expressed clear intention to face the charges filed against him.
In a press conference, Supreme Court (SC) spokesperson Camille Ting said the High Tribunal received the Consolidated Compliance filed by DOJ Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, who was authorized to represent the respondents in this case.
The SC directed the Duterte siblings “to personally file a traverse in response to the Consolidated Compliance within a non-extendible period of five days from receipt of notice,” Ting said.
Meanwhile, the SC sitting on the benchalso noted without action the Motion for Reconsideration filed by the former president and Senator Ronald Dela Rosa after the denial of their prayer for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO).
Ting said that the Court also ordered Bersamin and other respondents to personally file their comment on new matters raised in the Supplement to the Petition filed by petitioners within a non-extendible period of 10 days from receipt of notice.