PNP will not implement arrest warrant issued by ICC vs. ex-President Duterte
The Philippine National Police (PNP) would not implement an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against former president Rodrigo Duterte, its spokesperson said Wednesday.
This comes after Harry Roque announced on his Facebook live account that Duterte called him up to tell him he received information that he could be arrested at any time.
In a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Col.Jean Fajardo said they support the stand of the government about the ICC not having any jurisdiction over the country.
“Yes, (we will not enforce it) because there is already a question of jurisdiction because we view this as invading the sovereignty of our country. And we always say, not just in the eyes of the PNP, even the concerned agencies that our judicial system is still working,” Fajardo told reporters.
“If we recall the pronouncements of our government, we support the stand. The DOJ (Department of Justice) has spoken and the President himself questions the ICC’s jurisdiction over us because we are no longer a part of them. So for all intents and purposes, the ICC does not have any jurisdiction over us,” she said.
“They could issue a warrant of arrest but the enforcement is another thing. Can they enforce it within the jurisdiction of the Philippine government? I think our President is very clear on that, they don’t have any jurisdiction here in our country,” she added.
According to Fajardo, the PNP has not received any information about the ICC issuing an arrest warrant and has not received any coordination from government agencies on the matter.
“We do not know where and who the source of Atty. Roque and the former president is, but on the part of the PNP, we have not yet received any information with respect to the warrant of arrest that was said to be issued by the ICC,” she said.
Fajardo stressed that coordination is needed under existing laws for them to enforce the arrest warrant.
“This is not only about our former president. This is also applicable to an ordinary citizen who may have a case outside the jurisdiction of the PNP. So there is a certain coordination that is required under our existing laws,” she said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
