Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte has revealed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has allegedly issued arrest warrants against Senator Bong Go and two former police officers. According to Duterte, the information came from a highly reliable source, but there is no official confirmation from the ICC yet.
The lawmaker questioned the supposed use of the ICC as a political weapon against political opponents of the administration. “Is there no end to this administration using the ICC as a political weapon against their political opponents?” Duterte said.
It can be recalled that former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV earlier said that Go could be a target of the ICC as a co-perpetrator of former President Rodrigo Duterte in the bloody war on drugs. Go previously served as Duterte's Special Assistant to the President.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) denied Duterte's statement, both saying they have not received any formal information or document about the alleged ICC warrants.
“Just talked to SoJ, neither of us has received any formal notice,” DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said.
The PNP also stated: “The Philippine National Police has not received any official communication or documentation regarding the alleged issuance of ICC warrants. What we can say with certainty is that the PNP has always been and will remain an institution that respects and upholds the rule of law.”
The PNP added that if there is a legal order from the proper authority and it goes through the proper process, they are ready to enforce it in accordance with the law.
