Government won’t help, but won’t stop ICC – SolGen

MANILA, Philippines — While the Philippine government may not be inclined to assist the International Criminal Court (ICC) from interviewing persons of interest linked to the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war, the government “will not get in the way” of its proceedings, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said.

Guevarra revealed the ICC prosecutor has sought the assistance of the government to facilitate the interview of five incumbent and former Philippine National Police (PNP) officials on their alleged involvement in the drug war killings.

However, with the current stance of the Philippines that it has no legal duty to cooperate with or extend a hand to the ICC, Guevarra said the government probably will not assist the international tribunal.

“That does not mean the ICC prosecutor cannot continue in his investigation. He can interview these five people directly. All that we’re saying is the government will not be involved,” he said over One News’ “The Big Story” on Monday.

“We will not get in the way. The ICC prosecutor can do that voluntarily, by himself, directly talking to these people,” Guevarra added.

In a separate message to reporters, Guevarra said the government “cannot stop” the ICC prosecutor from proceeding with the investigation and may directly interview the five persons of interest “online, through phone, by email or face-to-face, subject to the consent of these persons.”

Guevarra said the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has submitted its recommendations to President Marcos regarding the request of the ICC prosecutor. He declined to give the details.

While Guevarra did not give the names of the five suspects, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said former PNP chiefs Sen. Ronald dela Rosa and Oscar Albayalde, former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Romeo Caramat Jr., Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo of the National Police Commission and former PNP intelligence officer Eleazar Mata have been named as suspects.

Trillanes earlier released portions of a four-page document supposedly released by the ICC-Office of the Prosecutor. He said the document was sent to the Philippine government through its embassy in The