Former presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo announced on Tuesday that his law office, Panelo Law, has filed a motion on behalf of Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, before the Supreme Court. The motion seeks oral arguments in the habeas corpus petitions she filed last month, requesting the immediate return of her father to the Philippines.
Panelo explained that the motion, filed on Monday, April 7, 2025, aims to provide the Supreme Court with a clear forum to address critical legal and constitutional issues raised in the petitions.
“This would ensure that the public fully comprehends the Supreme Court’s final decision in this case of transcendental importance and significant public interest,” Panelo stated during an interview on SMNI Nightline News.
The petition outlines key issues for oral arguments, including whether government officials can evade judicial review and correction under a writ of habeas corpus by removing an illegally arrested and detained individual from Philippine territory.
“Oral arguments would enable this Honorable Court to examine the jurisdictional scope of a writ of habeas corpus and its enforceability on respondents within the Court’s jurisdiction, even when their actions extend beyond national borders. These discussions would shed light on uncharted legal territory, including the implications of respondents’ swift actions seemingly designed to bypass judicial review and correction,” the petition argues.
Additionally, the petition requests the Supreme Court to define the scope of the writ of habeas corpus, which it claims is essential in evaluating whether the administration erred in transferring the former president to The Hague, Netherlands.
“The arrest and surrender of any Filipino to an international court is a matter of profound importance and public interest, as it involves critical issues such as national sovereignty, individual rights to due process, international obligations, and the interplay of powers among the three branches of government,” the petition states.
The Duterte family asserts that their petitions are neither moot nor academic, maintaining that the former president’s arrest was unjust and unwarranted.
