Nobody can enforce ICC's arrest order in PH aside from members of PNP, other law enforcement agencies -- SolGen Guevarra
No one in the Philippines can enforce the arrest warrant that may be issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) aside from members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies, Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra said on Thursday, Feb. 8.
“The PNP members and other law enforcement officers are the only persons authorized to serve warrants of arrest in Philippine territory,” Guevarra pointed out.
Last Wednesday, Feb. 7, PNP Spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo made it clear that the PNP will not enforce the arrest warrants that will be issued by the ICC against persons including former President Rodrigo R. Duterte over allegations of abuses, including killings, committed during the drug war under his administration.
“The PNP’s statement that it will not enforce any warrant that may be issued by the ICC is simply in obedience to the directive of President Marcos who exercises control over the executive department, including the national police,” said Guevarra.
Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV had earlier claimed that the ICC may soon issue arrest warrants after having concluded its investigation against those accused of crimes against humanity.
Lawyer Harry Roque who served as presidential spokesperson under Duterte, on the other hand, said that they also received information that there is already an arrest warrant from the ICC.
Last year, the Philippine government, through the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), failed in its appeal to stop ICC from conducting an investigation due to lack of jurisdiction.
The OCG told the ICC that the Philippines already withdrew as a party from the Rome Statute that the created the ICC and the wthdrawal took effect on 2019 before any order to conduct an investigation probe was made.