Año denies being part of 'grand conspiracy' in ex-President Duterte's arrest

Manila Bulletin

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año denied on Thursday, March 20, participation in any so-called "conspiracy" that led to the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte. (Video courtesy of Senate of the Philippines)  READ: https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/20/ano-denies-being-part-of-grand-conspiracy-in-ex-president-duterte-s-arrest  Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5664f6TkaeHgwBly50DWZQ/join  Subscribe to the Manila Bulletin Online channel! - https://www.youtube.com/TheManilaBulletin  Visit our website at http://mb.com.ph Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilabulletin  Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/manila_bulletin Instagram: https://instagram.com/manilabulletin Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@manilabulletin  #ManilaBulletinOnline #ManilaBulletin #LatestNews

Transcript

00:00Good afternoon, everyone. I'd like to start by thanking the Senate Committee on Foreign

00:09Relations, chaired by Senator Amy R. Marcos, for the opportunity to clarify the truth about

00:16what transpired during the arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and other related

00:22matters. I believe this is also a good venue for me and my fellow officials to clarify

00:28what really happened and to debunk and dispel the false accusations and fake narratives

00:35that have misled the public about this issue. As government officials, it is our duty to

00:41be truthful and to assure the public that our actions were proper and in accordance

00:47with the law. I, for one, have been the victim of relentless disinformation campaigns aimed

00:53at destroying the integrity and credibility I have carefully built over four decades

00:59of public service, which began the day I entered the hallowed halls of the Philippine Military

01:05Academy. While public officials are not supposed to be thin-skinned, I have rolled with the

01:11punches for several days. However, the time has come for me to air my side. Therefore,

01:17I am grateful for the opportunity to speak before the Senate and present the truth. As

01:22a former member of the Cabinet of the Duterte administration, it is also very hard for

01:27me to see the former President arrested. I worked closely with former President Duterte

01:34for so many years, through the most serious crisis the country faced, and we have developed

01:40and nurtured a personal friendship. He trusted and respected me in the same way I trusted

01:46and respected him, even after our terms ended in 2022. I retired from public service when

01:55former President Duterte ended his term. However, the repeated calls for public service came

02:01again, and six months after my retirement, I was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos,

02:08Jr. to be his National Security Advisor. I saw my appointment as a continuation of my

02:14service to the Filipino people across different administrations. As a soldier, my loyalty

02:21has always been to the Constitution and the chain of command. This has always been my

02:26principle when I served as the Commanding General of the Philippine Army under President

02:31Noe Noe Aquino, then as AP Chief of Staff, and later, as Secretary of the Department

02:38of Interior and Local Government under President Duterte, and now as National Security Advisor

02:43under President Marcos, Jr. In its position, I have held under several administrations.

02:51I have never played politics. I do not have a political agenda, nor do I have or will

02:57I ever have political ambitions. I uphold the same principle in my role as National

03:03Security Advisor and Director General of the National Security Council. Thus, I would like

03:08to state for the record that my role was limited to the mandate of my office to assess that

03:16the situation does not escalate into a national security concern. The implementation of the

03:22ICC warrant is beyond my mandate, and I had no part in it. I may also state for the record

03:29that I am not aware of any core group, nor am I a member of such group that allegedly

03:35planned and prepared for the arrest of former President Duterte. In fact, it was only on

03:41Tuesday morning, March 11, 2025, that I learned that there was already an Interpol Red Notice

03:49and that the ICC warrant of arrest would be served. There was also no intelligence operation.

03:56The former President's presence in Hong Kong, as well as his return to the country, was

04:01a public knowledge, since it was heavily reported in both mainstream and social media.

04:08It is utterly unacceptable and unfair that my name is being dragged into an alleged grand

04:14conspiracy. I firmly deny any allegations of a grand conspiracy. In fact, the events

04:22in March 11 were spontaneous. As National Security Advisor, I was merely

04:30doing my job. However, I face all these accusations against my honor and integrity with firm resolve,

04:39knowing that I am on the side of the truth, and I was simply doing what I had to do. And

04:45in doing so, I upheld the truth, justice, and the rule of the law. Again, my loyalty

04:51is always to the country, to the Constitution, and not to any person. Thank you, Madam Chair.

04:59Thank you, Madam Chair.

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