SC junks plea to produce ICC warrant

THE Supreme Court (SC) en banc has denied a motion by former President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Senator Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa seeking to compel government agencies to produce an alleged International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against the senator.

The SC on Tuesday ruled that there was no sufficient basis to immediately compel production of the alleged warrant but directed the respondents, including Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Foreign Affairs, to submit comments on the petitioners’ claims within 10 days.

“The court acted on the submissions but found no sufficient basis to immediately compel production of the alleged warrant,” the SC said in a statement.

The petition, originally filed on March 11 challenged Mr. Duterte’s potential arrest and the Philippine government’s cooperation with the ICC through the Interpol.

On Nov. 12 the petitioners filed a Very Urgent Motion seeking to compel Mr. Remulla to produce a copy of the alleged ICC warrant against Mr. Dela Rosa. In a separate Very Urgent Manifestation dated Nov. 13, petitioners alleged that Mr. Remulla publicly stated that “an ICC arrest warrant had already been issued” and that a “diffusion order” was in place.

They also claimed he said the government could surrender Mr. Dela Rosa “without undergoing extradition proceedings” and that “the DoJ has placed at least three witnesses under the Witness Protection Program at the ICC’s request.” — Erika Mae P. Sinaking