The Philippine National Police (PNP) has expressed readiness to assist the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) should additional arrest warrants be issued against other individuals linked to former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war on drugs.
PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo confirmed on Sunday that while no new information has been relayed to them, the PNP already has a protocol in place for executing possible arrest warrants.
“We don’t want to get ahead of the process, but aside from the former president, there were others involved in the case. Since his arrest happened first, we now have a template to follow,” Fajardo stated in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.
She assured that if Interpol seeks further assistance, the PNP is prepared to act in accordance with existing laws.
Last week, authorities served an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against Duterte for murder charges related to crimes against humanity, tied to his administration’s bloody anti-drug campaign that reportedly resulted in over 6,000 deaths. The former president is currently detained at the ICC prison in The Hague, Netherlands, and made his initial court appearance via video link on Friday.
Meanwhile, ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti disclosed that the international tribunal is also examining the roles of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde in the drug war, with the possibility of arrest warrants being issued against them.
Despite this, Fajardo reiterated that the PNP has yet to receive any official notice regarding further warrants.
Dela Rosa, who was the PNP chief during Duterte’s drug war, accused President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of betrayal following Duterte’s arrest, claiming that Marcos had previously assured him of non-cooperation with the ICC. Malacañang has denied these allegations, stating that it only assisted Interpol in enforcing the ICC’s warrant.
