The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it will neither compel nor prevent its personnel from testifying in response to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) call for cooperation in its investigation into the war on drugs under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a statement posted on its website, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor appealed for direct witnesses to come forward, including members of the PNP and other law enforcement agencies who may have been involved in incidents under investigation.
Interested individuals may confidentially submit initial information through the ICC’s online portal, the court said.
Duterte is currently detained by the ICC at The Hague in The Netherlands, after he was surrendered into the court’s custody last March 12, 2025, five days after the chamber issued an arrest warrant for the former President for the crimes against humanity of murder, torture and rape.
PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño, however, clarified that the ICC’s appeal does not amount to a formal summons.
“Their appeal is merely a call for cooperation. There are no official summons yet. It is an invitation to cooperate voluntarily,” Tuaño said.
He stressed that the PNP’s official position is to respect individual choice, saying the organization neither prohibits nor obliges any member to testify before the ICC.
“The PNP does not stop nor compel any individual who wishes to respond to the ICC’s call,” Tuaño said, adding that cooperation is a personal legal decision.
Tuaño advised police personnel who are considering participation to seek legal counsel, noting that the PNP respects due process and the legal rights of its members.
The Philippines formally withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under the Duterte administration, but the tribunal has maintained that it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the country was still a state party.
