Is the ICC closing in on Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte over drug war probe?

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra says ICC has formally asked Manila for help to interview five individuals over their role in the drug war

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he gives directives to police officers over his campaign against illegal drugs at the headquarters of the Philippine National Police in General Santos City in September 2016. Photo: Jeoffrey Maitem

Published: 10:00am, 31 Jul 2024

While the Philippines is not expected to grant a formal request by an international court to help in an investigation into a deadly war on drugs waged by former president Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippine government under his successor Ferdinand Marcos Jnr will not block prosecutors from The Hague if they enter the country to conduct their own probe, according to a senior official.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra late on Monday confirmed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had formally asked Manila for help in the proceedings, but Marcos Jnr had not replied.

Guevarra, who also served as Duterte’s justice secretary, told local media he was setting the record straight after former senator Antonio Trillanes IV leaked on social media platform X a redacted copy of a document purportedly coming from the ICC prosecutor asking the government’s help to “interview” five former and active Philippine National Police (PNP) officials on their role in the drug war which reportedly claimed thousands of lives.

“Yes, there is communication, there is a request from the ICC prosecutor [for] assistance from the Philippine government to facilitate the interview of five individuals,” he said, confirming the request was relayed by the ICC prosecutor in early July through the Department of Foreign Affairs.

He explained that the move by the Office of the Prosecutor marked a step just before a potential issuance of warrants of arrest.