Philippines claims ICC issued arrest warrant for ex-President Duterte's ally over drug war: court denies
Kyiv • UNN
The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Philippine Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who led the drug war of then-President Rodrigo Duterte. The ICC denied this claim, and Duterte was arrested in March on a warrant linking him to killings during his drug war.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Philippine Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who led the war on drugs under then-President Rodrigo Duterte, the country's ombudsman said Saturday, though the ICC denied the claim, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
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Duterte, who served from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March on a warrant linking him to killings committed during his war on drugs, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of suspected drug dealers and users.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla told Reuters in a text message that information about Dela Rosa's arrest warrant had been conveyed to him by a responsible official at the Department of Justice.
In response to a request for comment, Department of Justice spokesman Polo Martinez said the department was still verifying the information.
"We have not yet received a copy of the said arrest warrant. We will provide additional information as it becomes available," Martinez said in a text message.
ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah, when asked about the existence of an arrest warrant, replied: "No. News about the ICC can only be found on the ICC's official communication channels and press releases."
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had not yet conducted an independent verification of the information regarding Dela Rosa's arrest warrant.
The document containing the charges that the prosecution wants to bring against Duterte mentions Dela Rosa, including statements he made as police chief.
In April, a Senate photo release quoted Dela Rosa as saying he had received a communication from the ICC "regarding extrajudicial killings of suspected drug addicts and other persons, which is a crime against humanity."
Duterte and his lawyers argue that his arrest was illegal. Last month, Duterte challenged the ICC's decision to proceed with the case against him and sought his release.
Ombudsman Remulla said that in Dela Rosa's case, extradition rules approved by the Supreme Court would apply.