The Philippines has signed an extradition agreement and a mutual legal assistance treaty with Russia.
The agreements, however, need Senate’s ratification before they can take effect, according to the Department of Justice.
Under an extradition treaty, the Philippines will turn over fugitives wanted by another government for trial, and vice versa.
Under the treaty with Russia, however, Moscow said that if the subject of the extradition request is a Russian national, the government may refuse to turn over the fugitive “on the ground of nationality.”
“Because they insisted on that condition, we made it reciprocal,” DOJ Undersecretary Markk Perete said.
“[This] means if they request the extradition of a Filipino citizen whom they consider a fugitive in their jurisdiction, then we can also refuse such a request based on nationality,” he added.