Bato on ICC possible interview with drug war suspects: 'Gawin na nila'

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa on Wednesday said the International Criminal Court (ICC) should already proceed if they seek to interview persons of interest in its investigation into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

This was his reaction to the statement of Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, who earlier said that the Philippines cannot stop the ICC from conducting the interview.

"We have no control over them. Kung ano ang gusto nilang gawin, e di gawin na nila," Dela Rosa said.

(Whatever they want to do, then go ahead. Do it.)

Reacting to former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV's information that the ICC has requested the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to issue a blue notice against persons of interest in its drug war probe, Dela Rosa said, "I don't know if that is possible. It is up to them."

According to the INTERPOL website, a blue notice is to “collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.”

So far, Dela Rosa said no one from the ICC has reached out to him.

The senator, who was former President Rodrigo Duterte's national police chief, has been tagged as one of the five suspects in the ICC investigation, according to Trillanes.

"Bakit ako maba-bother? Hayaan mo na sila, hayaan mo na sila. I’m not bothered. Hayaan mo sila. Go ahead," Dela Rosa said when asked if he is bothered amid the recent developments.

(Why will I be bothered? Let them do what they want. I'm not bothered. Go ahead.)

When asked if he is still hoping for the Philippine government to protect him, Dela Rosa said, "Sabi naman nila palagi noon na (they have said before that) investigating is one thing or issuance of warrant is one thing and implementation of warrant is another thing."

Based on government records, around 6,200 drug individuals were killed during anti-drug police operations. Human rights organizations, however, say that the number may reach 30,000 due to the unreported related killings.

The Philippines, under Duterte, withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, in 2019 after the tribunal began a probe into his administration's drug war.

In January 2023, the ICC authorized the reopening of the inquiry after it was suspended in November 2021.

The ICC Appeals Chamber in July 2023 also denied the government’s plea against the resumption of the inquiry, prompting numerous government officials to speak against continued engagement with the ICC.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously said that the government would not serve any arrest warrant from the ICC against Duterte. He also said he does not recognize the jurisdiction of ICC in the Philippines and considers the tribunal as a threat to the country's sovereignty. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News