Philippine National Police (PNP) is ready to assist the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) if it issues other arrest warrants against co-perpetrators of former President Rodrigo Duterte in his controversial war on drugs, the PNP said on Sunday.
PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo, there is no official report on new warrants. However, she added, the PNP has a set protocol for serving possible arrest warrants on individuals involved in the drug war.
“Unang una, ayaw nating pangunahan ang proseso. Although alam naman natin na maliban kay dating pangulo ay may mga kasama po siya doon sa mga nakasuhan. Pero tama po kayo, since nauna na nga itong naging pag-aresto sa dating pangulo, ay more or less may template na tayo,” Fajardo said.
“Ibig sabihin, kung saka-sakaling may lalabas at hihingin po muli ng Interpol ang tulong ng PNP ay nakahanda po ang PNP na mag-provide ng assistance at i-implement po natin itong warrant na ito according sa ating umiiral na batas,” she added.
Last Tuesday, the authorities implemented an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Duterte due to murder charges, classified as crimes against humanity. The said charges are related to the drug war he instituted, which has allegedly resulted in the deaths of around 6,000.
The former Philippine leader is currently being held at the ICC prison in The Hague, Netherlands, and made his first appearance before the court on Friday via a video link.
On Wednesday, it was learned that Malacañang has not received any official communication toward an Interpol red notice for Duterte’s co-perpetrators in the drug war killings.
However, ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti confides that the other international court is probing the roles of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde in the anti-drug campaign. Such scrutiny may also lead to issuing arrest warrants against them in case needed.
