PNP to ICC: Respect Philippine sovereignty, justice system

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to respect the judicial processes of the Philippines being a sovereign country.

PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin made the appeal in a press briefing yesterday, days after the ICC declared that it would reopen its investigation into possible crimes against humanity that were committed during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called war on drugs.

“We have our own judicial proceedings. If they will provide help, they can submit and we will do the process,” Azurin said in Filipino.

He said the PNP is continuously investigating deaths under the drug war.

Azurin said there are administrative cases being handled by the PNP Internal Affairs Service, and drug cases have been filed in court against some personalities allegedly involved in the case.

“(These) describe the stance of the PNP in addressing the drug problem in the country and at the same time, internal discipline issues within the organization,” he said.

“The PNP is cooperating with the Department of Justice in reviewing cases involving police personnel found liable for lapses on police operation procedures in anti-illegal drugs operations,” he added.

Rights groups earlier said up to 30,000 people could have been killed under Duterte’s drug war.

The PNP said more than P273.8 million worth of suspected illegal drugs were confiscated throughout the country from Jan. 1 to 26.

It said there were 4,858 suspected drug offenders arrested in 3,576 anti-drug police operations nationwide.

Azurin said nine communities across the country were cleared of drugs during the same period.

Meanwhile, chief presidential legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile opposed the ICC plan to resume the investigation, saying the tribunal is interfering “too much” with the Philippines’ internal affairs.

Enrile said the ICC has no sovereign powers over the Philippines and should ask permission first from the government.

“We will not allow any of our officials to be investigated or tried by the International Criminal Court. As lawyer of the President, as far as I am concerned, I do not recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court,” Enrile said yesterday.

“If they will come here, if I were to be followed, I will cause their arrest. They interfere too much in our internal affairs,” he added.

Enrile also defended Duterte’s decision to launch a crackdown on illegal drugs, a campaign that human rights advocates said had encouraged extrajudicial killings and other abuses.

“He (Duterte) was acting under the Constitution of the country to enforce the law. That is his oath. We do not have an uncivilized judicial system,” he said.

Enrile said he has yet to discuss the development with Marcos.

In a statement released through his former spokesman Harry Roque, Duterte said he would “humbly submit to the prosecution and judgment of any local court” and that he is ready to face any of his accusers.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, a former police chief and the architect of the drug war, criticized the ICC plan, saying it cannot impose its standards on the Philippines.

Cooperate with ICC probe, Marcos urged

Fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) is urging President Marcos to cooperate with the ICC investigation.

In a statement, the group said Marcos should prove before the international community that impunity will not persist under his administration, by letting Duterte be held accountable for crimes against humanity in connection with the bloody war against drugs.

“We support the positive step of the ICC to pursue the investigation in relation to the cases of human rights abuses of the previous Duterte administration,” Pamalakaya national spokesperson Ronnel Arambulo said.

“Marcos should accommodate the ICC and let it pursue its investigation. We challenge him to finally end the culture of impunity and let justice prevail,” Arambulo said.

The group issued the statement as the ICC pre-trial chamber on Thursday authorized the Office of the Prosecutor to resume its investigation on extrajudicial killings related to the drug war.

The ICC said the Philippine government’s initiatives and proceedings, assessed collectively, do not amount to tangible, concrete and progressive investigative steps in a way that would sufficiently mirror the court’s investigation.

Aside from cooperating with the ICC investigation, “Marcos should disclaim and deny the earlier statements of Justice Secretary (Crispin) Remulla against ICC as the official stand of his administration,” Arambulo said. “Otherwise, he will be held accountable for covering up Duterte’s murderous regime, for being an instrument of culture of impunity, and directly obstructing justice.”

Remulla on Friday said he would not welcome the ICC unless it makes clear that it will respect the country as a sovereign nation.

Duterte’s war against illegal drugs reportedly killed more 6,000 people in legitimate police operations based on data of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency as of 2021. – Alexis Romero, Elizabeth Marcelo