‘No law violated in cops coordinating with ICC’

MANILA, Philippines — No law was violated when police officers communicated with representatives of the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigating the drug war launched by former president Rodrigo Duterte, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV maintained yesterday.

Trillanes said ICC investigators would not coordinate with Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, considered one of those involved in the case being the architect of Oplan Tokhang and chief of the Philippine National Police at initial implementation of the war on drugs in 2016.

“First, Bato was not approached because he was the main suspect in the case. The evidence against him is clear,” Trillanes said in Filipino in a Viber message to Senate reporters, referring to Dela Rosa by his nickname.

“Secondly, it is not a crime for the police to interact in their personal capacity because only they as individuals will be harmed if they do not answer for their involvement in the ICC case,” he said.

“Third, Bato said he will not give attention to my statement but he reacted lengthily,” Trillanes added.

Trillanes also advised Duterte’s lawyers: “According to Sec. 17 of RA 9851, An Act Defining Crimes Against Humanity, etc., ‘In the interest of justice, the relevant Philippine authorities may dispense with the investigation or prosecution of a crime punishable under this Act if another court or international tribunal is already conducting the investigation. Instead, the authorities may surrender or extradite suspected or accused persons in the Philippines to the appropriate international court…’”

Former Duterte spokesman Harry Roque merely laughed in reaction to Trillanes, saying, “Bwahahahaha! That law is if the prosecution is in the Phil and not in the ICC! Gross ignorance of the law!”

Bato confident ICC collaborators will be sanctioned

Dela Rosa expressed confidence that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Philippine National Police (PNP) would prosecute government officials or law enforcers who help the ICC investigation on the previous administration’s war on drugs.

Dela Rosa said he would not dignify Trillanes’ claim that 50 active and former police officers have already been informed by the ICC about their possible involvement in the drug war crime.

“I do not want to dignify his statements, which are not true. The DOJ already said any government official who would cooperate with the ICC can be charged with graft and corrupt practices,” he said in a phone interview with Senate reporters.

Dela Rosa was referring to the statement of DOJ spokesperson Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano that government officials may be liable if they help the ICC, contrary to the current administration’s position that the international tribunal’s investigation violates the country’s sovereignty.

PNP chief information officer Col. Jean Fajardo also warned of sanctions against police officers if they communicate with the ICC without their superiors’ clearance.

The former PNP chief faces the crimes against humanity case before the ICC along with his former boss Duterte.

Dela Rosa had said he would not flee the case, although he does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction over him, stressing he should only be tried in local courts. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab