Palace prepared

CEBU, Philippines — Malaca ang assured the public on Sunday that the Philippine government is prepared for any eventuality following rumors that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant against former president Rodrigo Duterte over his controversial war on drugs.

Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz stated,  We ve heard that an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court against former President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity. The government is prepared for any eventuality.

However, Palace Press Officer PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro clarified that Malaca ang has not received official confirmation regarding the issuance of a warrant. She added that should the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) request assistance, the government would be obliged to comply.

 No confirmation of issuance of warrant of arrest from the Palace. But as what Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and Secretary of Justice Jesus Crispin Remulla said before, if Interpol asks for necessary assistance from the government, it is obliged to follow,  Castro said.

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) also denied receiving any formal notice from the ICC. Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra stated,  We have not received any such notice from the ICC.

Amid the circulating rumors, former president Duterte was spotted in Hong Kong. The Office of the Vice President confirmed that Vice President Sara Duterte joined her father in Hong Kong for a sortie of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban). She is scheduled to attend an event with overseas Filipino workers in Wan Chai, Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong-based English newspaper The Standard reported that Duterte was seen in Causeway Bay on March 8, accompanied by 10 bodyguards. Reports indicate he left the Philippines on March 7, fueling speculation that he departed due to the alleged ICC arrest warrant. A video circulating on social media showed Duterte at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport before his departure.

Former chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo also stated that Duterte s visit to Hong Kong was for a gathering of overseas Filipino workers.

Executive Secretary Bersamin previously stated that while the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019, the country remains open to cooperation with Interpol. He emphasized that if Interpol formally requests the arrest or custody of a person under ICC jurisdiction, the Philippine government will  respond favorably or positively.

 We have withdrawn from the ICC, and that withdrawal is now in effect. But if the ICC makes a move through the Interpol and requests assistance from us, we will comply because we also benefit from Interpol in other cases,  Bersamin said in a past press briefing.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has reiterated that his administration does not recognize the ICC s jurisdiction over the Philippines. However, he stated that if Interpol issues a red notice against Duterte, the government would have obligations to fulfill.

 We do not cooperate with the ICC. That is the position of this government,  Marcos said in a previous interview. When asked about Interpol s potential involvement, he added,  As Secretary Remulla explained before, we have obligations to Interpol, and we have to live up to those obligations.

The ICC has been investigating Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration s war on drugs, which led to the deaths of thousands. Official government data places the death toll at around 6,000, while human rights groups estimate the number to be as high as 30,000, primarily affecting small-time drug users and pushers.

The Philippines formally withdrew from the ICC in 2019 after the tribunal launched a preliminary probe into the drug-related killings. Marcos has since stated that he is not inclined to rejoin the ICC, arguing that the country s justice system remains functional and capable of handling such cases. (CEBU NEWS)