Metro Manila, Philippines — The government cannot stop the International Criminal Court (ICC) from interviewing suspects involved in the bloody drug war of the Duterte administration, the top state lawyer said.
In a message to reporters on Thursday, Solicitor General Menardo Guevara said that while Manila could not give assistance to ICC Prosecutor Kamir Khan, the government cannot stop him from investigating.
“[The Philippines] has no legal duty to lend any assistance to the ICC prosecutor in conducting his investigation. But the government cannot stop him from proceeding any way he wants,” said Guevarra.
“He can directly interview persons of interest online, through the phone, by email, or face to face, subject to the consent of these persons,” he added.
Guevarra clarified that the ICC prosecutor cannot expect the Philippine government to facilitate interviews for him.
Former Senator Antonio Trillanes released a redacted document on his X (former Twitter) account showing that former and active officials of the Philippine National Police are now considered as suspects in the ICC probe.
NewsWatch Plus cannot independently verify the “confidential documents” released by Trillanes.
Guevarra added that the government has received official communication from the ICC, but he did not confirm if it’s the same document released by Trillanes.
“Yes, that is true. but I cannot confirm that Trillanes’ document is authentic. In the first place, why should he even have a copy?” said Guevarra in a separate text message to NewsWatch Plus.
Guevarra said he explained the government’s side on the ICC probe for context.
“I was compelled to say something about it so that people will understand the context in which the ICC request was made,” he said.
The Philippines disengaged from the Rome Statute, or the treaty that established the ICC, during the Duterte administration in 2019.
