Eduardo Año denies 'grand conspiracy' in Rodrigo Duterte's arrest

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año denied Thursday that he had a hand in the supposed "conspiracy" that led to the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte last week.

During a hearing of the Senate committee on foreign relations, Año said that as a former cabinet member of the Duterte administration, it was also difficult for him to see the former president getting arrested.

However, he emphasized that as the incumbent national security adviser under the Marcos Jr. administration, his role in Duterte's arrest was limited to "assess that the situation does not escalate into a national security concern."

"The implementation of the ICC warrant is beyond my mandate and I have no part in it. And may I also state for the record that I am not aware of any core group, nor am I a member of such group that allegedly planned and prepared for the arrest of former President Duterte," Año said.

"It is utterly unacceptable and unfair that my name is being dragged into an alleged grand conspiracy. I firmly deny any allegations of a grand conspiracy. In fact, the events on March 11 were spontaneous," he added.

Año, who served as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and later on the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government during the Duterte administration, said he has never played politics nor does he have any political ambitions.

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa, one of Duterte's alleged co-perpetrators based on the application of ICC's arrest warrant, admitted Wednesday having an ill feeling towards Año.

Dela Rosa said that "out of courtesy," Año could have at least informed Duterte's team, who was then in Hong Kong, that the former president would get arrested once he returned to the Philippines.

Dela Rosa also said that he had heard rumors of an alleged traitor in the group who was with Duterte in Hong Kong. He, however, said he has no idea who the person is.

"May narinig rin ako, but I cannot confirm or deny dahil hindi ko man kilala kung sino ang tao 'yun na alluded to, na nagsabi ng gan'un. Hindi ko man alam, hindi ko kilala kung sino. Pero may mga tsismis na ganon," the senator told reporters.

(I also heard something like that but I cannot confirm nor deny because I don't know who the person who was alluded to. I have no idea. But there are rumors like that.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News