PH gov't not directly cooperating with ICC on drug war witnesses — Palace
Malacañang on Friday clarified that the government is not directly cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC) despite the recent pronouncement of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla that the tribunal had requested the government to provide protection for witnesses.
In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said the government would help witnesses.
"Parang sa ating pagkakadinig ay tutulungan ng DOJ (Department of Justice) ang mga witnesses para makapag-testify, para mabigyan ng hustisya ang dapat mabigyan ng hustisya. Hindi directly makikipagtulungan sa ICC," Castro said.
(From what we hear, the DOJ will help the witnesses to testify so that justice will be attained by those who seek it. Not directly cooperate with the ICC.)
"Still, ang tutulungan po natin ay kapwa Pilipino na nangangailangan ng tulong para mabigyan sila ng hustisya. 'Yan din naman po ang sinasabi ng Commission on Human Rights," she added.
(Still, assistance will be given to our fellow Filipinos who need help so they may achieve justice. This is aligned with the statements of the Commission on Human Rights.)
Pressed if this matter has the go signal of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., Castro said, "'Yun po ay, 'yan din naman po ang gusto ng Pangulo, mabigyan ng hustisya ang dapat mabigyan ng hustisya."
(That's also what the President wants, that justice be provided to those who deserve it.)
Remulla earlier said three to four witnesses in the case of former President Rodrigo Duterte before the ICC are currently under government protection.
According to Remulla, more individuals may be placed under witness protection.
Remulla also said cooperating with the tribunal does not contradict with the government's position that the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC.
The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, in March 2019 during the Duterte administration.
Castro recently said the President was open to having discussions with regard to the Philippines rejoining the ICC. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
7 hours ago
- GMA Network
Six OFWs from Iran arrive safely in PH
Six overseas Filipino workers (OFW) repatriated from Iran amid its conflict with Israel arrived safely in the Philippines on Saturday morning, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said. The OFWs — five who worked as shrimp hatchery technicians in Iran and one domestic worker from Dubai who accompanied her employer to Iran as a tourist — arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in Pasay City. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega, and DMW Assistant Secretary Venecio Legaspi welcomed the OFWs. The repatriated workers were also met by the MIA Medical Team as well as a social welfare officer of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The OFWs boarded an Emirates flight to Manila. "The repatriation was made possible through the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Tehran, led by Ambassador Roberto Manalo, in close coordination with the DMW and OWWA," the DMW said. The repatriated OFWs were given financial assistance by the DMW, OWWA, and DSWD. The MIA Medical Team also provided them with food and medical services. The OWWA will give the OFWs temporary hotel accommodations and domestic flights back to their home provinces. The DMW said two more OFWs from Iran are expected to arrive on Saturday night. "This group marks the first batch of Filipinos repatriated from Iran following the June 13 Israel-Iran conflict," the DMW said. President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Monday tasked government offices to take the necessary steps to ensure the safe and orderly return of Filipino workers who wish to avail themselves of voluntary repatriation. In a statement, Marcos said the government is already processing over 200 requests for repatriation and ''we are moving quickly to bring them home while others have opted to remain at work.'' ''I urge our fellow Filipinos to coordinate with our embassies in Tel Aviv and in Tehran. Please follow their guidance, inform them of your situation, and do not hesitate to ask for assistance,'' Marcos said. The Philippine government raised crisis alert level 3 in Israel and Iran on June 20, urging Filipinos in the area to avail of voluntary repatriation. Crisis level 3 or voluntary repatriation phase is imposed by the Philippine government on countries with deteriorating security conditions. At least 30,000 workers, mostly caregivers, are in Israel, and more than 1,000 are in Iran. Tensions heightened between Israel and Iran on June 13 after Israel struck nuclear and military targets Tehran with missiles. According to an Israeli military official, Iran had enough material to make 15 nuclear bombs within days. Iran retaliated, then both countries traded missile attacks. The US also bombed Iran nuclear sites on June 21, and Iran thereafter fired missiles at an American base in Qatar on June 23. A ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced by US President Donald Trump. —KG, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
DILG: Rape, physical injury, robbery incidents fall sharply in H1 2025
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reported Friday sharp declines in the number of focus or index crimes during the first half of 2025. In a statement by the DILG, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said incidents of focus crimes such as rape, physical injuries, and robbery logged "significant" drops from January 1 and June 6 this year compared to the same period in 2024. Remulla reported the improved numbers during the 1st Joint National and Regional Peace and Order Council (NPOC-RPOC) meeting. He said rape incidents were down 31.85%, physical injuries by 30.21%, and robbery by 26.47%. "Focus crimes are considered serious offenses that occur frequently and directly impact public safety," the DILG statement read. Remulla, who also serves as the NPOC chair, also credited ongoing anti-criminality campaigns for the improved numbers. The DILG's crackdown on loose firearms, Remulla said, led to the confiscation of 12,891 illegal firearms and the arrest of 5,314 suspects, with 4,096 of them now facing court cases. Meanwhile, authorities launched 22,649 anti-drug operations, which resulted in the arrest of 24,148 individuals and the seizure of over 200,000 grams of illegal drugs with a street value of P2.17 billion. The DILG chief also called on newly appointed chairpersons of local and regional peace and order councils to practice good governance and ensure that security initiatives are properly planned and implemented. Posthumous honors Also during the meeting, the NPOC passed a resolution commending outgoing RPOC chairpersons who served from 2022 to 2025 for their leadership. Among those honored posthumously were Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and Nueva Vizcaya Governor Carlos "Caloy" Padilla. Degamo's family has blamed his death in March 2023 on former Negros Oriental third district Representative Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr., who was recently brought back to the Philippines following his arrest and detention in Timor-Leste. Padilla, on the other hand, was in his third and final term as governor of Nueva Vizcaya when he passed away in May 2023. Before his death, he spent 29 years as the representative of the province's lone district, including six years of service in the Batasan Pambansa. Attendees of NPOC-RPOC meeting include senior officials in the government's security and peacekeeping cluster, including National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Romeo Brawner Jr., Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Chief for Administration Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., and National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Director General Ricardo de Leon. The joint NPOC-RPOC meeting highlighted the administration's renewed push to align national and local security priorities, boost inter-agency coordination, and sustain momentum in the fight against crime, drugs, and disorder. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Australia turns down hosting Duterte if ICC grants interim release
The Australian government has declined to host former President Rodrigo Duterte should the International Criminal Court (ICC) grant his request for interim release. While it is aware that Duterte applied for interim release to a third unnamed country, Australia is not considering to grant such a request as the matter is best left in the hands of the ICC, GMA News Online learned Friday. In applying for interim release, Duterte's camp previously told the chamber that an undisclosed country has agreed to take in the former president, who is facing charges of crimes against humanity over his administration's war on drugs. Earlier this week, Vice President Sara Duterte said the former president, her father, is looking at Australia as one of the countries for his possible interim release. Australia is a party to the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the International Criminal Court. Duterte is currently under ICC custody in The Hague, Netherlands. Meanwhile, the Office of the Prosecutor has asked the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber to deny Duterte's interim release request. The prosecution also denied that any agreement was reached with the defense regarding Duterte's release to the country proposed by the Duterte camp. Further, the prosecution said it agreed under the condition that Duterte would be released to another country. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
