SC to gov't: Respond to habeas petition

The Supreme Court yesterday gave the government 24 hours from receipt of notice to show cause why the SC should not issue a peremptory writ of habeas corpus on the petitions seeking the return of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

- EVELYN MACAIRAN

The SC also unanimously resolved to consolidate the three petitions filed by Duterte's children — Davao City Mayor Sebastian, Davao First District Rep. Paolo and Veronica.

In a one-page statement, the SC directed "respondents in the consolidated petitions to show cause within a non-extendible period of 24 hours from receipt of notice why the peremptory writ of habeas corpus should not (be) issue(d)."

Named respondents in the three consolidated petitions are Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Juan Victor Remulla Jr., Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Marbil, PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., former immigration commissioner Norman Tansingco, Philippine Center for Transnational Crime executive director Lt. Antonio Alcantara and Capt. Johnny Gulla.