Albayalde ready for possible ICC arrest warrant

Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde on Monday said he is preparing for the possible arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with the war on drugs.

“Well, hintayin na lang po natin dahil lahat naman po 'yan ay pawang speculation as of this time,” Albayalde told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview.

(Well, let's just wait because that is just all speculation as of this time.)

“Although, tayo ay nagpe-prepare naman diyan. Lahat ng legal means puwede naman nating i-exhaust 'yan. But at the end of the day, desisyon pa rin po ng gobyerno 'yan,” he added.

(Although, we are preparing for that. We can exhaust all legal means. But at the end of the day, it is still the government's decision.)

Asked if he will face his possible case before the ICC, Albayalde said he will if this is the decision of the Philippine government.

“Kung 'yun po talaga ang utos ng ating gobyerno. Nakita po natin no less than the [former] president, ganun ang nangyari. Ano pa ba ang mangyayari na we are just ordinary citizens,” he added.

(I will cooperate if that’s the order of our government. We saw that it happened to no less than the former president. What else will happen considering that we are just ordinary citizens.)

Philippine authorities on March 11 assisted the Interpol in serving a warrant of arrest from the ICC against former President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity in connection with his drug war.

After his arrest, Duterte was transported to the Hague in the Netherlands.

Duterte on March 13 (Philippine time) entered the Hague Penitentiary Institution or the Scheveningen Prison where he will be held while awaiting trial.

According to the lawyer of the families of the supposed victims, the ICC may issue more arrest warrants for the “co-perpetrators” of Duterte.

Alabayalde, who served as PNP chief during Duterte’s term, said there were no official orders to kill suspects in the drug war.

“Wala kaming binigay na illegal order sa amin. Kung may naririnig po ang mga taumbayan kay dating Pangulong Digong sa TV, wala po kaming binababa na ganiyang kautusan sa ating kapulisan dahil alam po natin that we are law enforcers,” he said.

(We did not give any illegal orders. If the people heard something from former President Digong on TV, we did not issue such orders to the police force because we know that we are law enforcers.)

“Baka ho siya lang 'yun. Palagi ko ring sinasabi whether directly or personal na sinabi ni [dating] Pangulong Digong 'yan, wala po siyang utos din sa amin na ganiyan,” he added.

(It was only his statement. I always say that whether directly or personally, former President Digong did not issue such an order to us.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News