DOJ, PNP deny helping ICC get evidence vs. Duterte

Executives from the Department of Justice, the Philippine National Police, and other government agencies on Thursday denied helping personnel from the International Criminal Court, who reportedly arrived in the Philippines, in getting evidentiary documents. 

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla and PNP Chief Police General Rommel Marbil made the remarks at the continuation of the Senate foreign relations committee investigation into the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte. 

Senator Imee Marcos took the chance to ask whether the Cabinet officials and PNP officials cooperated with the ICC after they skipped the second hearing into Duterte’s arrest, where it was divulged that several ICC personnel reportedly went to the Philippines in the latter part of 2024 to get documentary evidence against the former president.

Marcos said it was “unbelievable” for these foreigners to just get documents from the police precincts immediately. 

“Tinulungan talaga sila…Di kapani-paniwala isang British, isang Canadian, isang Amerikano, naka-ikot sila. Sisipot sa presinto ibigay ng pulis lahat ng dokumento,” Marcos said. 

(They were helped. It's not believable that a British, a Canadian, and an American just went around, turned up at the precinct and the police gave them all the documents.)

“You can’t just walk into a police station and start demanding all sorts of documents,” she added. 

Responding to this, Remulla said, “Hindi po DOJ ang tumutulong sa kanila.”

“Kung may alam akong maaring tumutulong sa kanila, marahil may kilala po akong tumutulong sa kanila. Isang pari po na matagal ko nang kaibigan na tumutulong sa kanila,” he surmised.

(DOJ was not the one helping them. If I knew anyone helping them, I probably know someone who helped them. A priest who has been a friend of mine for a long time could have helped them.) 

 Remulla added that civil society organizations could have helped the ICC in getting the documents they need. 

Marbil also denied having knowledge about the supposed evidence gathering of the ICC personnel in the Philippines. 

“Madam chair, during my time as chief of the Philippine National Police, I have no request coming from the ICC to give any information regarding this matter,” he said. 

Marbil also said he has no idea about the arrangement for the security and liaising of the ICC personnel. 

“We will just investigate but we really have no idea regarding this matter,” the PNP chief said. 

Marcos also asked the PNP about the specific request of the ICC to get police records from the Quezon City Police District Station 6 in Barangay Batasan Hills.

She asked why the supposed ICC personnel were able to identify a specific police station where they could get documents for their case. 

Remulla said that the QCPD Station 6 was mentioned during the House of Representatives’ QuadComm investigation.

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa suggested inviting QCPD Station 6 commander Romil Avenido to the next Senate hearing to shed light on the matter. 

Apart from the DOJ and PNP chiefs, Philippine Center on Transnational Crime Executive Director Anthony Alcantara said he is not “privy to all these requests” from the ICC. 

For his part, Special Envoy on Transnational Crime Markus Lacanilao said he has “no knowledge” on the matter. 

“Wala ho akong knowledge regarding sa ICC on the status nila dito,” Lacanilao said. 

(I have no knowledge regarding the ICC personnel's status here.)

During last week’s hearing, Marcos said at least four ICC personnel arrived in the Philippines in October 2024. 

She added that they sought the following documents during their stay in the Philippines:

• Bank account records of a certain Peter Parungo from June 2016 to 2019
• Blotter, seized evidence, radio transmission from PNP Quezon City Police Station 6 in Barangay Batasan Hills
• Hospital records from East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City on all individuals brought in dead on arrival by the PNP between July 1, 2016 to June 31, 2017 and post-mortem, autopsy, and inspection details; individuals who had gunshot wounds following a shooting incident with PNP; details of any PNP officers treated for gunshot wounds

Marcos claimed that these very documents that were reportedly acquired by the ICC personnel were used in the warrant of arrest against Duterte.

Duterte was flown to The Hague after his arrest on March 11 and was placed in detention at the Hague Penitentiary Institution or the Scheveningen Prison on March 13 (PH time). 

He faced the ICC via video link the following day, where the court read to him the charges against him related to the killings under his administration's war on drugs. 

The confirmation of charges against him has been set for September 23, 2025. — BM, GMA Integrated News