Philippines to honor Interpol's requests, not ICC — Palace
MANILA, Philippines — The Palace has made it clear that the Philippines is more likely to respond to requests from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) rather than the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla acknowledged in a Reuters report that there are areas where the ICC and the Philippines could cooperate.
However, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said he was unaware of the areas Remulla was referring to.
In a press briefing on Friday, January 24, Bersamin clarified that the government is not suggesting there will be any cooperation.
“As far as experience has given to the government shows, the request of the Interpol should always be respected, because the Interpol is also doing us service in other areas, similar to this. So, that’s the meaning of committee,” Bersamin said in a mix of English and Filipino.
He explained that if the Philippines does not honor Interpol requests, the international body may choose not to recognize the country’s future requests.
Bersamin stressed that the ICC does not have jurisdiction over the Philippines, but if the ICC submits its request through Interpol, the Philippines will honor it.
“That does not necessarily mean because of what it just said, does that necessarily mean that the order of the ICC and force through the Interpol is to be ignored,” he said.
The ICC is currently investigating the Philippine government's war on drugs under former president Rodrigo Duterte. The official government count for deaths in the drug war is approximately 6,200, though human rights organizations report that the numbers could be much higher.
While the ICC has not named any individuals as suspects, some have pointed to Duterte as a key figure, citing his public statements that critics argue may have encouraged aggressive actions by law enforcement.
In a 2024 Senate hearing on the war on drugs, Duterte admitted that he told cops to provide fleeing suspects to fight back so that they have an excuse to shoot them down.
At the beginning of his term, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. seemed adamant to protect his predecessor from the ICC.
However, as relations between Marcos and other members of the Duterte clan—specifically Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte—worsened, the administration began to show more willingness to work with the ICC.
Marcos himself has admitted that there will be no help from the government should the ICC come for Duterte.
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