MANILA — The Philippine National Police said on Wednesday it would only take orders from the Philippine government on whether to cooperate with the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the bloody war on drugs of the Duterte administration.

In a news forum in Manila on Wednesday, PCol. Jean Fajardo, PNP spokesperson, said that the police have coordinated and helped with the government's investigation into drug war deaths.

The Department of Justice began a review of drug war deaths in 2020. Of 52 cases reviewed, four -- including the death of student Carl Angelo Arnaiz -- led to cases pending in court as of 2022.

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According to Fajardo, the Philippines has a working judicial system where police personnel are facing cases over drug war abuses.

“From the start naman po ay malinaw po yung paninindigan ng inyong pambansang pulisya pagdating sa mga investigation. However with respect dun sa ICC investigation we will take our cue from the national government po,” Fajardo said.

“Ang PNP naman po ay magmula nang nagkaroon ng investigation we coordinated at tumulong po tayo sa pag-iimbestiga at katulad ng stand ng ating national government ay naniniwala po ang pambansang pulisya eh we have a working judicial system,” she added.

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Fajardo said Philippine courts are ready to hear cases against police personnel who committed crimes in anti-drug operations.

"[M]ay mga pulis po tayong nakasuhan, nakulong at na-convict…yun po ang gagawin ng PNP, magpapasakop po tayo sa hurisdiksyon po ng Pilipinas," she said.

Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, a vocal critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte and the drug war, said on social media platform X that he has "highly credible" information that ICC investigators have had direct communications with more than 50 active and former PNP personnel allegedly implicated in the crimes against humanity case before the International Criminal Court.

The ICC is meant to be a court of last resort for when national authorities cannot or refuse to prosecute certain crimes.