Malacañang said Sunday it is ‘prepared for any eventuality’ amid speculative reports on the anticipated arrest warrant versus former President Rodrigo Duterte from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Duterte is being investigated for crimes against humanity in connection with his bloody war on drugs during his reign. Rumors have spread over the weekend that he has fled to Hong Kong to evade possible arrest.
“We’ve heard that an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court against former President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz said in a statement. “The government is prepared for any eventuality.”
Duterte and his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte are currently in Hong Kong to attend a thanksgiving event of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on Sunday. Their close allies, including former intelligence officials, and other family members also joined them in the trip.
The ICC has been investigating Duterte and other central figures in his government over widespread extrajudicial killings associated with his anti-drugs campaign.
The Philippines during the previous administration withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that
established the ICC, in 2019 after The Hague-based tribunal launched a probe into the Duterte drug war.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) last January, expressed their openness to engage and cooperate with the ICC in its investigation. Malacañang said it will respect an arrest warrant in case is it served by International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
PCO Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro clarified, however, that there is no confirmation yet from the Palace on the issuance of the said arrest warrant by the ICC.
“But as ES [Executive Secretary Lucas] Bersamin and SOJ [Secretary of Justice Jesus Crispin Remulla] said before, if Interpol will ask for the necessary assistance from the government, it will provide,” she said.
Bersamin maintained that the Philippines has not changed its position as regards the ICC and the country’s withdrawal from it.
In November last year, Bersamin said that the Philippines would “accord full cooperation” to the Interpol, if it issues a red notice against Duterte.
“If the ICC refers the process to the Interpol, which may then transmit a red notice to the Philippine authorities, the government will feel obliged to consider the red notice as a request to be honored,” Bersamin said.