A warrant for the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte will soon be issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to former senator Antonio Trillanes IV.
Besides the former chief executive, a warrant will also be served on former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and current Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa, who went ballistic after learning of his pending arrest.
At the top of his voice, the usually soft-spoken Dela Rosa dared Trillanes to “make my day,” and join the ICC team in arresting him.
Trillanes told local media that the ICC’s warrant would very likely be handed by the ICC June or July.
The warrant will most likely be served by Interpol, he said.
Thus, even if the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC, the country is still a member of Interpol.
“We have an international agreement (with the global law enforcement agency),” Trillanes said.
Trillanes said that the ICC has a cooperation agreement with Interpol, which allows the former to pass a red notice to the latter.
The retired Navy officer said the warrants of the ICC could be issued in batches, with only the older Duterte to be first served.
Other warrants for those under investigation would immediately follow, and this would include Dela Rosa.
Trillanes said personnel from the PNP are already cooperating with the ICC investigation, implicating Duterte on the extra-judicial killings of anywhere from 6,000 to 30,000 mostly poor, young Filipinos from depressed areas.
Also under investigation but with no warrant for her arrest is Vice-president Sara Duterte-Carpio, who Trillanes said is still being investigated for her possible role in the heinous crime of mass murder, for which Duterte and Dela Rosa stand accused.
While the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC, the alleged crimes committed by Duterte, Dela Rosa and others reportedly occurred as far back as the time the former president was still mayor of Davao City, and the now senator was the city’s chief of police.
They stand accused of killing thousands of suspected drug users and pushers, eschewing the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and dispensing with court warrants. Instead, the victims were summarily executed, often by officers of the PNP but sometimes by the supposed “Davao Death Squad,” a vigilante group closely identified with the older Duterte.
The killings continued when Duterte was elected president and Dela Rosa was promoted to PNP chief.
When a case was filed before the ICC, Duterte ordered the Philippines to exit the UN-sanctioned organization.
However, its investigation continued as the alleged crimes occurred when the Philippines was still a member of the global court.
The Marcos administration had initially followed the Duterte regime line that an ICC probe was an affront to the county’s judicial system.
But while then president Duterte banned any ICC investigator from entering the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said they may enter the country as visitors but could not expect any assistance from the government.
Last week, however, the Justice department briefed the President on the possibilities that could happen as a result of the ICC probe and possible arrest of a former president.
One possibility is for the Philippines to rejoin the ICC.
This is not as far-fetched as it sounds, as Western nations — especially EU members who the President has been eyeing for loans and investments — are believed to have asked why the Philippines is not a member of the ICC.
Membership could be a requirement for loans as foreign governments need to know who they can turn to in the event of legal questions involving possible projects in the Philippines.
