Gov’t will not stop ICC interviews on drug war suspects

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Marcos Jr. government will not stop the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor from interviewing five former police officers who are suspects in the previous Duterte administration’s war on drugs campaign.

This was the statement by Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra made in an interview with media in Metro Manila on Tuesday, July 31.

The Marcos Jr. administration had previously said the country would not cooperate with the ICC on the probe of Duterte’s war on drugs campaign, as they pointed out that the Philippines had pulled out from the ICC in 2018.

Legal experts though, point out that the ICC can still probe on the extrajudicial killings in the years that the country was still a member of the ICC.

But Guevarra said while the government will not cooperate with the ICC when its prosecuting team arrives in the country, it will not hinder them from conducting its investigation.

“(The) president has repeatedly stated that we have no legal duty to cooperate or to lend assistance…But that does not mean that the ICC prosecutor cannot continue his investigation… all that we’re saying is that the government will not be involved,” Guevarra said.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte had previously warned that he would detain and deport ICC prosecutors if they would set foot in the country.

The ICC is conducting this probe based on testimonies given by families of victims and former police operatives.

Guevarra said this time, the ICC would be interviewing the accused after hearing and reading testimonies from the prosecution.

“The ICC prosecutor has seen much on the side of the complainants, but nothing much on the side of those being accused,” Guevarra said.

Guevarra did not mention names of the suspects that the ICC will interview, but former Senator and staunch Duterte critic Antonio Trillanes IV released a copy of the ICC Prosecutors Office that named the following: