Malacañang said it would ensure the immediate enforcement of future arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against other alleged co-perpetrators of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the government aimed to avoid situations similar to the reported escape of Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, stressing the need for swift implementation of legal processes.
Castro said in an interview that ICC warrants do not need to pass through local courts, citing Republic Act No. 9851 as legal basis for cooperation with international tribunals.
She pointed to provisions of the law that require state cooperation, including surrender of suspects, in cases involving international crimes.
The Palace official said the ICC operates as an international tribunal and not as a foreign domestic court, adding that the government was not violating any law in acting on its warrants.
Castro also urged individuals who may be subject to future warrants to voluntarily surrender rather than evade authorities.
She noted that many of those linked to the ICC cases were former law enforcement officers who were expected to understand legal procedures and the consequences of arrest warrants.
According to her, individuals facing warrants should not wait for confrontation with authorities if no restraining order has been issued by the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, National Bureau of Investigation Director Melvin Matibag said the agency had received information that additional ICC warrants may soon be issued.
Matibag said law enforcement agencies were prepared to serve any warrants that would be released, adding that operational details would not be disclosed to avoid alerting potential suspects.