Malacañang clarified on Thursday that it has not received any formal communication from the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding arrest warrants for other individuals linked to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs.
Speaking during a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro addressed reports speculating on a potential arrest order for Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Duterte’s former police chief.
“To date, we have not received any communication if there is an arrest warrant for former president Duterte’s co-perpetrators,” Castro stated.
The clarification came after Japan-based Kyodo News cited Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who reportedly said the Philippines may arrest Dela Rosa should the ICC issue such a warrant.
Dela Rosa, who served as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief from 2016 to 2018, played a central role in Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, earning the label of its “architect.”
Former president Duterte is currently under ICC custody in The Hague, Netherlands, as he awaits trial over alleged crimes against humanity tied to thousands of deaths during his administration’s bloody crackdown on illegal drugs.
