Former President Rodrigo Duterte, February 13, 2025.  Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA — The International Criminal Court’s Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) on Monday refused to address reports on the supposed arrest warrant issued against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

ICC arrest warrants are confidential and a separate announcement would be made to unseal the warrant to make it public, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers-National Capital Region Secretary-General Atty. Kristina Conti earlier noted. 

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“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.

“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.

Asked for comment on the reports on the supposed arrest warrant in the Philippines, the OTP just acknowledged that they have a pending investigation on the situation in the Philippines.

“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.  

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Conti, ICC assistant to counsel and a lawyer representing some drug war victims, told ANC on Monday that the circumstances since 2024 were nonetheless "prime" for the issuance of an arrest warrant for Duterte. 

She also noted that the International Criminal Police Organization or Interpol has a sub bureau in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, where Duterte met on Sunday with overseas Filipino workers in a thanksgiving event.

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The ICC has no police powers and relies only on countries' law enforcement agencies allied to the Interpol to arrest and detain suspects.

Meanwhile, a political analyst said Duterte could have had prior knowledge that a warrant for his arrest had been issued by the ICC, which could have prompted him to leave for Hong Kong, and that his return might not happen soon. 

"Malaki rin 'yung possibility na kaya umalis si Digong ay may nagsabi sa kanila na meron na siyang international warrant kaya puwedeng hindi na bumalik si Digong," Ronald Llamas said.

"'Yung China miyembro yan ng Interpol kaya isa sila sa unang makakaalam na merong international warrant. Hindi malayo na sila ang magsasabi kay Digong na umalis na ng Pilipinas dahil may international warrant. Hindi 'yun nakakagulat," he said.

"Poprotektahan siya ng China."

Llamas added that Duterte may first observe the developments regarding his possible arrest from Hong Kong and that they could file a case before the Supreme Court challenging the possible implementation of an international warrant.

Duterte, in the event in Hong Kong, said that he had learned about the supposed release of an ICC arrest warrant for him. He maintained that he launched the drug war — the subject of the ICC's investigation into his possible crime against humanity — to protect Filipinos and keep order and peace during his presidency.