Former President Rodrigo Duterte testifies at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on killings and alleged rights violations in his administration’s war on drugs, October 28, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA — Malacanang clarified Monday that it had yet to receive any formal communication from the Interpol about its supposed red notice against former President Rodrigo Duterte and rumors on an arrest warrant against him from the International Crimina Court.

“Wala pa po tayong natatanggap na anumang communication patungkol sa red notice at nakausap po natin si Asec. Mico [Clavano] from the DOJ at as of now ay tinitingnan din po nila ang kanilang mga records,” Malacanang Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Palace briefing.

Reports circulated over the weekend that the ICC had supposedly issued an arrest order for Duterte, who is facing a possible crime against humanity charge for his administration’s drug war. The ICC Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) on Monday refused to confirm the information.

Malacanang earlier reiterated that while the government’s position on the ICC has not changed, the Philippines would not ignore any request made by the international tribunal that would be coursed through Interpol, of which the Philippines remained a member.

“Handa naman po ang law enforcement agencies natin kung ano po ang sinasabi ng batas, kung kinakailangan po na i-serve iyong warrant of arrest, because of the request of Interpol. Anu't ano pa man po ang mangyayari, basta  po nasa legal, gagawin po iyan ng pamahalaan,” she said.

ICC: No comment on reports of arrest warrant vs Rodrigo Duterte

UNREST? 

Castro said the Philippine government was prepared for the possibility of civil unrest in the Philippines resulting in the arrest of the former President.

“Pipigilan po nating magkagulo, ang gagawin po talaga natin ay kung ano ang naaayon sa batas,” she said.

The Palace official appealed to Duterte’s supporters to respect the law.

“So, kung tayo naman po, ito naman din ang pakiusap natin, kung mangyayari po ito, iyong mga tao, ang taumbayan, kung sino man iyong mga supporters, makinig na lang po kayo kung ano iyong sinasabi ng batas. Huwag na po tayong makialam kung ang inyo pong gagawin ay hindi naman po naaayon o labag sa batas ang inyong gagawin,” Castro said.

“Tingnan na lamang po ninyo kung Ang pagsisilbi halimbawa po ha,  magsisilbi ng warrant of arrest at lahat naman po ay ayon sa guidelines at ayon sa rules of law. Huwag na lang po sanang maging matigas  ang ulo ng ibang taumbayan para pigilan ito katulad noong nangyari sa panahon po ng pag-aresto kay Pastor Quiboloy.”

FLEEING PH?

Malacanang said it does not see the possibility of  Duterte fleeing the country to evade his impending arrest.

“As of now we are not thinking, or contemplating, the President evading the law,” Castro said.

“We cannot conclude that there is propensity on the part of President Duterte that he would escape, considering that he was the one who asked for this. Bakit? Sinabi nya sa quad comm hearing, handa sya na harapin ang ICC. Pinamamadali nga nya ang ICC diba sabi nya, ‘hurry up?’ At ang sabi pa nya, tomorrow, bukas na bukas din kung gusto nila mag-imbestiga, and if you will put me in prison, I would rather rot in jail?” she continued.

“So kaya po ang mga kababayan natin, dapat mag-relax, dahil hiling din ito ng dating Pangulo.”

PNP SAYS ‘OBLIGATED’ TO HELP INTERPOL

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it was "fully prepared for any eventuality" should the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) request assistance in arresting Duterte.

In a media briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City, PNP spokesperson BGen. Jean Fajardo clarified that, as a member of Interpol, the Philippine police force is duty-bound to cooperate with the international organization.

“Dadaan tayo sa proseso. Kung meron pong hihingin po na tulong ‘yong ating Interpol…the PNP has a legal obligation to reciprocate ‘yong courtesy na ibinibigay po sa atin ng Interpol,” she told reporters.

(We will go through the process. If our Interpol asks for help... the PNP has a legal obligation to reciprocate the courtesy given to us by Interpol.)

“We are fully prepared for any eventualities po in case po na merong tulong na hihingin sa atin ang Interpol po,” she added.

(We are prepared for any eventualities in case Interpol asks for help from us.)

Interpol requests have to be evaluated by the National Central Bureau (NCB) composed of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Immigration and the National Bureau of Investigation, noted the justice department.

“Dahil nag-sign po tayo sa international agreement na iyan, we are bound to oblige and to respect that so if ever may request po sila, ang NCB po ang magpo-process noon and sila na rin po ang gagalaw based on that request,” DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said.

“So we have to see if all the documents, all the supporting documents are ready and that the Interpol request is a valid request and that is the only time it will be given due course and on that basis gagalaw na po ang mga ahensya,” he said.

Clavano said it was still early to discuss the detailed steps of the government as there was no arrest warrant yet against Duterte.

“Ang papel lang naman po namin dito is to process whatever comes into our tables and our offices kaya siguro it might be a bit premature to be talking about what will happen once there is an issuance of a warrant of arrest, but we are ready to receive it and we are also ready to process it if it comes from the Interpol,” Clavano said.

POLICE IN DAVAO

As to the recent mobilization of thousands of police officers in Davao, Duterte’s province, Fajardo clarified that it was unrelated to the alleged ICC warrant.

No communication yet from ICC on arrest warrant for Duterte: SolGen

She said the deployment is part of a simulation exercise for election security preparations, which is also being conducted in other regions.

“Probably, they just misinterpreted some of the movements in other regions na meron pong mga ongoing simulation exercise relating po sa ating preparation for the national and local elections,” Fajardo said.

(Probably, they just misinterpreted some of the movements in other regions that are conducting ongoing simulation exercises related to our preparation for the national and local elections.)

Duterte, who left for Hong Kong on Friday, said in a thanksgiving event of overseas Filipino workers in the Wan Chai district on Sunday 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.

House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability Chairperson Rep. Joel Chua questioned the timing of Duterte's Hong Kong trip with his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte. 

"Hindi natin alam kung yun po talaga ay biyahe po ay talagang official or dahil sa OFW or dahil sa may nagcicirculate na rumors about this arrest warrant," he said.

"It is quite noticeable until now, wala parin yung ating dating Pangulo. At kung makikita po ninyo, yung crowd po nila dun ay KOJC. Hindi naman po yun OFW na pangkalahatan. It was a set up, it was a set up program kung saan ang KOJC ang kanilang captured audience," Chua added.

Chua said it would be best for the Dutertes to face the accusations against them.

"I don't think I'm in the position to advise them. Pero tingin ko, dahil parehas naman po silang abogado at sinasabi po nila na wala naman po silang kinalaman dito. So kung totoo naman po ang paninwala nila na wala naman po silang kinalaman dito, siguro mas maganda na harapin po nila ito nang sa ganon maipahayag po nila yung kanilang side. At isubmit nila yung sarili nila para nang sa ganon ay malinis din yung kanilang mga pangalan," he said. 

The Bureau of Immigration on Sunday said it is looking into the Dutertes' trip to Hong Kong. But it clarified there was no lookout order for the former President, so there was no reason to monitor his movements.

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