‘ICC arrest for Duterte, VP Sara expected’

MANILA, Philippines — The International Criminal Court (ICC) is expected to issue arrest warrants against former president Rodrigo Duterte by mid-year, and for his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte and other personalities in subsequent “batches” in connection with the war on drugs, according to former senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Trillanes told “Storycon” on One News yesterday that he has been in touch with ICC representatives since its preliminary examination, during the conduct of the investigation, and up to the junking of Duterte’s appeal.

“The warrant will be released late second quarter, so we can say middle of the year, maybe June or July, that will actually happen. So it is a waiting game at this point,” Trillanes said.

“Based on the information gathered, this warrant of arrest would come in batches. The first batch is only (for) one, only Duterte, the father. The second (batch) is for the (other) principal actors, as far as I know,” Trillanes added.

Apart from Duterte and his daughter, among the other personalities reportedly investigated by the ICC in connection with the brutal crackdown on the drug menace are his “tokhang” enforcer Sen. Ronald de la Rosa and former aide Sen. Bong Go.

Trillanes stressed that he was not just a “marites” or rumor-monger but he has been in touch with the ICC since 2017.

“So that’s how we established that relationship with ICC, but there’s a restriction on the release of information that can also be disclosed. The other information that I am releasing is not necessarily from the ICC itself but from people privy to what’s going on,” he added.

Earlier, Trillanes said the ICC investigated more than 50 active and former police officers who served under the Duterte administration for their role in the bloody war on drugs waged by Duterte.

The former senator expressed that President Marcos, who was firm against cooperating with the ICC, “will say what he needs to say but will do what he needs to do at a proper time.” He did not elaborate.

“Let’s wait for the warrant of arrest to be out,” he said.

He noted that the complex relationship between Marcos and the younger Duterte was not due to the ICC investigation against her