Philippines are ready to fulfill their obligations before Interpol, if a Red Notice is issued for former President Rodrigo Duterte, stated Acting Secretary Lukas Bersamin. Duterte is under investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegations of committing crimes against humanity during the anti-drug campaign of his administration, which led to thousands of deaths. The ICC investigation has prompted contentious moments, recently Duterte called on the court to expedite the investigation.
Bersamin emphasized that in the case of ICC's involvement, Interpol's issuance of a Red Notice for Duterte, the government will treat this as an official request that must be respected. "If the ICC forwards the process to Interpol, which in turn may direct the Red Notice to the Philippine authorities, the government feels obligated to treat this notice as a request that is subject to enforcement," Bersamin stated.
"Law enforcement agencies will be required to fully cooperate with Interpol in accordance with established protocols." He added that the Marcos administration will not intervene if Duterte decides to participate in the ICC investigation, supporting the administration's position on non-interference.
"If the former president wishes to submit himself to the jurisdiction of the ICC, the government will not raise any objections and will not hinder actions to block the enforcement of his wishes," Bersamin stated. During hearings in the Senate, Duterte called on the ICC to expedite its investigation. "I urge the ICC to expedite and, if possible, come here and start the investigation tomorrow," he said.
