PBBM: Duterte testimonies to be taken in for possible drug war charges

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

According to Marcos, the statements will be assessed by the DOJ for possible case build-up. (PCO file photo)

TAGAYTAY CITY – Acknowledging that extrajudicial killings (EJKs) in the previous administration’s drug war remain unanswered, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the testimonies of former president Rodrigo Duterte during a congressional inquiry on Wednesday “will be taken in” into the investigation of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Department of Justice (DOJ) on the drug war killings.

According to Marcos, the statements will be assessed by the DOJ for possible case build-up.

“All of the testimony that was given yesterday really – will be taken in and will be assessed to see what – in legal terms, what is the real meaning and consequence of some of the statements made by PRRD (Duterte),” Marcos said in a media interview on Thursday.

“Now, if that will result in a case being filed here in the Philippines, we will just have to see. The DOJ will have to make that assessment.”

The President said he is waiting for the PNP report on its investigation of the alleged drug war killings.

“We are always monitoring all of these things because the question on EJK has not yet been answered,” he said.

Duterte appeared before the House of Representatives quad committee probe into his administration’s bloody drug war for hours on Wednesday.

At one point, he dared the International Criminal Court (ICC) to rush its investigation into his war on drugs over alleged crimes against humanity.

When asked by Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas whether or not he was willing to cooperate with the investigation, he said, “I am asking the ICC to hurry up and if possible, they can come here and start the investigation tomorrow.”

Asked to comment, Marcos said the government would not cooperate with the ICC but would not stop the former president if he wants to subject himself to the tribunal’s investigation.

“If ‘yun ang gugustuhin ni PRRD (Duterte] ay hindi naman kami haharang doon sa mga ICC. Hindi lang kami tutulong. Ngunit kung pumapayag siya na makipag-usap siya o magpa-imbestiga siya sa ICC ay nasa kanya ‘yun. Wala na kaming desisyon doon (If that’s what he wants, we will not block the ICC. But we will not help. But if he consents to be interviewed or investigated by the ICC, that is up to him. We don’t have any decision on that matter),” he told reporters.

Marcos had repeatedly asserted that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines after the country’s departure from the statute in 2019, emphasizing that local courts are functioning.

However, the President said the government may be obliged to comply if the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) seeks Duterte’s arrest.

“We have obligations to Interpol and we have to live up to those obligations,” he said.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier reiterated that the Philippine government remains obliged to honor the terms of its membership with the Interpol.

The DOJ issued the statement in relation to reports that the ICC may seek the help of the Interpol to gain jurisdiction over Duterte to probe his administration’s war on drugs.

“Allow us to reiterate the DOJ’s position for clarity, the Secretary (Jesus Crispin Remulla) has repeatedly said that despite the withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute, the country remains a member country of the Interpol,” the justice department said in a statement Wednesday.

“Thus, when requests are made by the ICC through the Interpol and Interpol, in turn, relays such requests to our country, the Philippine government is legally obliged to accord due course to the same, by all means,” it added.