Senator Imee Marcos, on Thursday, Nov. 13, questioned the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) over what she described as a “specious and suspicious” report regarding an alleged warrant of arrest supposedly issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

Marcos said the DOJ’s response to it was “deeply troubling.”

She also asked whether it was within the Ombudsman’s authority to act on or execute a warrant from a tribunal “that the Philippine government does not even recognize.”

“Is it part of the Ombudsman’s mandate to execute warrants of arrest issued by a tribunal that the Philippine government does not even recognize? Is it within his lawful functions to coordinate with the ICC in any capacity? If not, then maybe he should focus on his actual work,” Marcos said.

The senator also questioned the DOJ’s handling of the matter, pointing out that President Marcos has repeatedly declared that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines and that his administration will not cooperate with its proceedings.

“Yet, even without any formal request or communication from either the ICC or Interpol, the DOJ appears eager to resurrect the same illegal mechanism it once used against former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” she said.

Citing Republic Act No. 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, Marcos emphasized that no person may be surrendered to the ICC without first being lawfully taken into custody by Philippine authorities.

“Section 17 of R.A. 9851 merely authorizes the surrender of a person already in custody; it does not grant authority to arrest any person absent a warrant or order issued by a Philippine court,” she said.

“To construe otherwise would amount to authorizing extrajudicial arrests for the purpose of delivering Filipinos to a foreign tribunal—a power that R.A. 9851 clearly does not bestow,” she added.

She further reminded the DOJ that only Philippine courts have the power to issue warrants of arrest.

“The DOJ must be reminded that under our Constitution, only Philippine courts may issue warrants of arrest, as they alone are vested by the Fundamental Law with judicial power. No act of cooperation with a foreign entity can supersede this fundamental guarantee of due process and sovereignty,” Marcos said.