‘Violated no law in cops coordinating with ICC’
By Nidz Godino
“First, Bato was not approached because he was the main suspect in the case… evidence against him is clear,” former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said in Viber message to Senate reporters, referring to Dela Rosa by his nickname no law was violated when police officers communicated with representatives of International Criminal Court (ICC) investigating drug war launched by former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Trillanes said ICC investigators would not coordinate with Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, considered one of those involved in the case being architect of Oplan Tokhang and chief of Philippine National Police at initial implementation of war on drugs in 2016.
“Secondly, it is not crime for police to interact in their personal capacity because only they as individuals will be harmed if they do not answer for their involvement in ICC case, third, Bato will not give attention to my statement but he reacted lengthily,” he said.
Trillanes also advised Duterte’s lawyers: “According to Sec. 17 of RA 9851, An Act Defining Crimes Against Humanity, etc., ‘in interest of justice, relevant Philippine authorities may dispense with investigation or prosecution of crime punishable under this Act if another court or international tribunal is already conducting investigation…instead, authorities may surrender or extradite suspected or accused persons in the Philippines to appropriate international court…’”
Former Duterte spokesman Harry Roque merely laughed in reaction to Trillanes, saying, “that law is if prosecution is in the Phil and not in ICC…gross ignorance of the law!”
Dela Rosa is confident Department of Justice (DOJ) and Philippine National Police (PNP) would prosecute government officials or law enforcers who help ICC investigation on previous administration’s war on drugs.
Dela Rosa would not dignify Trillanes’ claim that 50 active and former police officers have already been informed by ICC about their possible involvement in drug war crime.
“I do not want to dignify his statements, not true…DOJ already said any government official who would cooperate with ICC can be charged with graft and corrupt practices,” he said in a phone interview with Senate reporters.
Dela Rosa was referring to statement of DOJ spokesperson Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano that government officials may be liable if they help the ICC, contrary to the current administration’s position that international tribunal’s investigation violates country’s sovereignty.
PNP chief information officer Col. Jean Fajardo also warned of sanctions against police officers if they communicate with ICC without their superiors’ clearance.
The former PNP chief faces crimes against humanity case before ICC along with his former boss Duterte.
Dela Rosa would not flee the case, although he does not recognize ICC’s jurisdiction over him, stressing he should only be tried in local courts.
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