MANILA – The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) refused to comment on reports that they have issued a warrant of arrest against former president Rodrigo Duterte.
In a statement, the ICC OTP Public Information Unit said arrest warrants are secret or confidential and a separate announcement would be made to unseal the warrant to make it public.
“The ICC Office of the Prosecutor does not comment on ongoing investigations and has no comment on these reports,” the ICC OTP Public Information Unit said on Monday.
“Confidentiality is a crucial part of our work and is essential to protect the integrity of investigations and to ensure the safety and security of victims, witnesses, and all those with whom the Office interacts,” it added.
The ICC OTP said the only thing they can confirm is the pending investigation against Duterte for his bloody “war on drugs” from 2011, when he was still a Mayor in Davao, until his presidency in 2019.
“This investigation focuses on crimes allegedly committed on the territory of the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019 in the context of the so-called ‘War on Drugs’ campaign,” the ICC OTP PIU said.
Meanwhile, Duterte said in a speech before the Filipino community in Hong Kong that he is not resisting arrest if ever the ICC has indeed issued an arrest warrant against him.
“Ang balita ko may warrant daw ako…’Yung sa ICC or something. Tutal ganito na lang swerte ko sa buhay. Okay lang tatanggapin ko ‘yan. Eh wala tayong magawa eh. Hulihin tayo o ikulong tayo,” Duterte said.
Duterte, however, asserted that he had done nothing wrong when he carried out the war on illegal drug trade, arguing that he wanted to ensure peace and order, particularly protect the Filipino families from the threat of the illegal drugs.
“Ano man ang kasalanan ko, ginawa ko a panahon ko para may konting katahimikan at mapayapa ang buhay ng Pilipino,” Duterte said. “Assuming na totoo. Totoo talaga ang naririnig ninyo bakit ko ginawa yan. Para sa sarili ko? Para sa pamilya ko? Para sa inyo at inyong mga anak sa ating bayan.”
Malacañang, on the other hand, said Monday it has not received any information regarding the alleged Interpol Red Notice against Duterte.
“Wala pa po tayong natatanggap na anumang communication patungkol sa red notice,” Presidential Communications Office’s Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Malacañang presser on Monday./PN
