DOJ: Interpol to undergo PH court system to serve ICC arrest warrants

FILE PHOTO: A view shows the International Criminal Police Organization headquarters in Lyon, France, September 30, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) needs to undergo the Philippine court system if it decides to serve the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants against people involved in the drug war, according to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

At the Senate’s deliberations on the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, Remulla said the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC, but because of emerging technologies, the Philippine government cannot stop ICC investigators from interviewing probable witnesses in the country.

“[K]ung gusto nilang pumasok dito upang manghuhuli at gusto magsagawa ng warrant na na-isyu ho ng ICC pagdating ng panahon, kailangan po itong dumaan sa ating court system. Ito po ay kinakailangan ng isang aksyon, action to enforce a warrant,” Remulla explained.

(If they really want to enter the country to arrest someone and serve the warrant issued by the ICC, they need to undergo the Philippine court system. It needs an action, an action to enforce a warrant.)

“Action to enforce a judgment, kailangan pong dumaan yan sa ating court system. So hindi ho namin pakikialaman kasi yan po trabaho na ng Interpol kung talagang gusto nilang habulin yung taong nasasakdal. Sabihin natin nag-isyu po ng warrant of arrest ang ICC, gusto i-enforce ng Interpol dito, para ho ito ay matuloy at hindi magkaroon ng kasuhan kinakailangan po magpunta sila sa korte natin. Yun po ang aming paningin,” he added.

(Action to enforce a judgment needs to undergo our court system. We won’t meddle with that because it’s the job of Interpol if they really want to go after the accused. Let’s say the ICC issued a warrant of arrest and the Interpol wants to enforce it here, in order for this to push through and to ensure that no cases will be filed, they need to go to our court. That’s our point of view.)

READ: Unfazed Bato dela Rosa, Rodrigo Duterte on looming ICC ruling: ‘Walang kaba, walang pakialam’

In an ambush interview on Wednesday, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said he is happy that the DOJ is defending its turf.

“Very good. That’s a good development kung ganun ang kaniyang sinabi. I’m happy that they are defending their turf, defending our sovereignty, [and] our jurisdiction,” he said.

Dela Rosa, the chief implementor of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, is one of those mentioned in the crimes against humanity complaint before the ICC.