The Philippine National Police (PNP) has reiterated its stand of neither recognizing nor cooperating with any investigation that would be conducted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the aggressive campaign against illegal drugs during the past administration. PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the PNP stand is in line with the position of the Philippine government which raised the issues of sovereignty and jurisdiction in the conduct of the drug war probe. “That is the stand of the national government. We will fully support and acknowledge the jurisdiction of the Philippine government as to the nature of the investigation,” said Fajardo during a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City. “The Philippine National Police is under the Executive department and we will follow the lead of the national government that there is a question with respect to the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the ICC,” she added. Fajardo’s statement was in response to the decision of the ICC to reject the Philippine government’s appeal to stop the investigation of the international court on the drug war. The PNP was at the forefront of the campaign against illegal drugs wherein more than 6,000 people linked to illegal drugs activities died during various police operations. Thousands more are believed to have died in the hands of alleged vigilante groups who were allegedly inspired to liquidate those involved in illegal drugs activities. “As to the extent and nature of cooperation of your national police, we will take the lead on what our national leadership would say, then the PNP will follow,” said Fajardo. Almost two years after the drug war was launched in 2016, then president Rodrigo Duterte withdrew the Philippine’s membership to the ICC with critics saying that the move was aimed at avoiding possible prosecution over the drug war. Aside from sovereignty and jurisdiction issues, analysts said that allowing the conduct of the ICC investigation is an admission that the justice system in the country is not working. But the judges argued that the ICC still has jurisdiction over the case since the alleged crimes were committed at a time when the Philippines was still a member. On the part of the PNP, Fajardo said it took the initiative of reviewing the drug war which resulted in the submission of 52 cases of possible police abuses in the campaign against illegal drugs. The 52 cases involve more than 100 cops across the country. “When the Department of Justice started its investigation, the PNP cooperated and we provided the DOJ investigators with the necessary documents with respect to the 52 cases that are under investigation,” said Fajardo. The 52 cases, however, are still under investigation by the PNP although the DOJ has already recommended the filing of charges against some policemen in connection with some of those cases. Fajardo also assured that all the documents pertaining to the campaign against illegal drugs are with the PNP. “All the operations from the station to provincial to regional are forwarded particularly at the office of the DIDM(Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management). So if there is really a need to produce these case folders then the PNP is ready to provide if directed to submit,” said Fajardo.