Rommel Marbil denies reports ICC pressuring ex-cops to implicate Duterte

Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil. Arnel Tacson/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rommel Marbil said he does not know where reports originated claiming International Criminal Court (ICC) investigators were pressuring retired officers to implicate former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Former PNP Chief and Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa made the claim in a press statement Friday that the ICC had an “ongoing mission” at a Pasay City hotel to threaten ex-cops into signing an affidavit implicating him and Duterte in the latter’s brutal war on drugs.

“We are not under ICC. We’re not a member of that anymore, so I don’t know where those reports are coming from,” Marbil, speaking in Filipino, said in a chance interview with reporters in Parañaque City on Monday.

The PNP chief was asked if former police officers were indeed being coerced into testifying against the senator and the ex-president.

READ: Dela Rosa: ICC probers forcing retired cops to testify vs him, Duterte

Marbil answered: “No. We don’t do those sorts of things. We’re not part of ICC. But, we are a part of PCTC (Philippine Center for Transnational Crime).”

Dela Rosa said he will launch a Senate inquiry into the claim when the 20th Congress opens in July.

Duterte was arrested and brought to face the ICC at The Hague, Netherlands last March.

The former president is accused of crimes against humanity in connection with his bloody war on drugs that took the lives of an estimated 30,000 people.

Dela Rosa was Duterte’s first PNP chief and one of the architects of his anti-drug campaign.

Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearing will be on September 23./mr