MANILA, Philippines — Despite not being a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Philippines still has commitments to Interpol, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Wednesday.
Remulla made the statement in response to Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s recent comments questioning whether he and Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra were “challenging the policy set by the president” regarding the international tribunal.
“We no longer have a commitment to the ICC. But with Interpol, we do. Interpol is far-reaching, and we should be prepared. They are more significant, especially for Filipinos traveling around the world who may need Interpol’s assistance,” Remulla said during a Kapihan Forum at the Department of Justice.
On Monday, Dela Rosa expressed concern over Remulla’s statements. Remulla, who is the Philippines’ Justice Secretary, had mentioned that the government would not obstruct Interpol’s efforts, including serving arrest warrants.
Remulla explained that the government would only abide by Interpol’s request if “certain conditions are met.”
“Marami ‘yung condition na ‘pag dapat na riyan. Is a crime punishable in the Philippines? Does a crime exist in the Philippines? Is sovereignty affected? And human rights are doing that as being violated,” Remulla said.
Interpol issues a Red Notice as a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. This process usually involves a country requesting the apprehension of an individual.
For example, the Philippine government requested the arrest of expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr., who was placed on Interpol’s Red List on Feb. 27, 2024. This led to his arrest a month later.
On July 28, former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV revealed a document from the ICC prosecutor listing names of former Philippine National Police officials “under suspicion” for allegedly ordering the killings of drug suspects and users from 2011 to 2019.
One of the officials mentioned is Dela Rosa, who on Monday proposed a law to block government cooperation with the international tribunal.
The proposal follows statements by Remulla and Guevarra highlighting concerns about non-governmental interference in the ICC probe.
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