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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Witnesses vs ex-Pres Duterte under DOJ protection

Witnesses vs ex-Pres Duterte under DOJ protection

Published Jun 26, 2025 01:40 pm
At least three or four witnesses who will testify against former president Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands are now under the protection of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
This was revealed on Thursday, June 26, by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla in response to the ICC request to provide protection to the witnesses while they are still in the Philippines.
“Ang pagkakaalam ko tatlo o apat pa lang ‘yung tinutulungan natin (What I know is that we are helping three or four witnesses),” Remulla told journalists in an interview.
“But I think there will be more,” he added.
Remulla said the DOJ has been providing protection for the witnesses since May after the ICC contacted the DOJ’s Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program (WPSBP) requesting for security to the witnesses.
After learning that the ICC reached out to the DOJ’s WPSBP, Remulla recalled: “I told our program director to cooperate and to help them.”
But he clarified that the DOJ will be providing security for the witnesses only in the Philippines.
It will be the ICC that will transport the witnesses and provide protection once they are in The Hague, he said.
Duterte is currently detained by the ICC in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the extrajudicial killings that took place during his illegal drugs war.
Remulla explained that providing protection to the witnesses does not go against the Philippine government’s stance that ICC no longer has jurisdiction over the country.
“We already chose not to pursue the cases and let the ICC pursue these cases,” he stressed.
He said it is hard to prove the cases against Duterte in the Philippines because those needed to talk were included in the charged crimes.
Thus, he said, the government allowed the ICC to pursue the cases since the victims filed the complaints before the international court.
At the same time, Remulla explained that providing protection to witnesses does not signal the Philippines’ return to the ICC.
“That is another decision that we will have to make as a country,” he added.
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