Authorities are now tracing the whereabouts of all former and government officials whose names were cited as co-perpetrators in the bloody drug war during the past administration, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
In a press briefing, Remulla remained mum on the alleged co-perpetrators’ last known locations with the DILG completing its information by this week.
“We are all aware na meron na pinangalanan na con-conspirators but wala pang warrant of arrest so wala kaming actionable document (We are all aware that the con-conspirators were named but we still do not have the warrant of arrest so we do not have actionable documents),’’ Remulla explained.
"However we are tracing the people already kung nasaan sila those named except for one na namatay na but we are already tracing them kung nasaan sila para in the event na kailangan mas handa na kami kung ano ang gagawin namin. (However, we are tracing the people already were they are except for one who is dead but we are already tracing them about their possible locations so that we are prepared in the event we need to catch them),’’ he added.
Remulla assured to get hold of the pertinent records, vowing that the alleged co-perpetrators of former president Rodrigo Duterte will be in their hands within the week.
“I think two are abroad, two ang nasa Amerika pero makukuha at makukuha yan (I think two are abroad. Two are in America. But rest assured that we will get them),’’ Remulla said.
Duterte is facing the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity in connection with his administration’s war on drugs, which killed thousands of Filipinos and drew condemnation from human rights organizations.
The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has named eight incumbent and past officials, including Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go, and former Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II as alleged co-perpetrators.
Aside from the three, also named were retired police generals Vicente Danao and Oscar Albayalde, and former National Bureau of Investigation director Dante Gierran.