ICC seeks ‘blue notice’ vs Bato, 4 others–Trillanes

Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said on Wednesday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has asked the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a blue notice against the five people tagged in the investigation of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.

Trillanes made the revelation during an interview at the Department of Justice.

According to the Interpol website, a blue notice is meant to enable it to “collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.”

Last week, Trillanes shared a confidential ICC document tagging former Philippine National Police Chief and now Sen. Ronald dela Rosa and four other retired and active police officials who had “concrete involvement” in systematic killings during the implementation of Duterte’s antidrug campaign.

The others named by the ICC prosecutor’s office were retired PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde, former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Romeo Caramat Jr., former National Police Commission chief Edilberto Leonardo, and former PNP Chief Intelligence Officer Eleazar Mata.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra confirmed that the ICC prosecutor sought the government’s assistance earlier this month in interviewing former and current PNP police officers, who were “suspected but not accused” of alleged complicity in the deaths of thousands of people in what was then known as “Oplan Tokhang.”

While Guevarra, who was Duterte’s justice secretary, earlier disputed the ICC’s jurisdiction over the country, some House members lauded the ICC for pushing the probe into the more than 6,000 acknowledged but unprosecuted killings in Duterte’s drug war.

IN THE EYES OF THE LAW: Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa says the approval of Senate Bill No. 2555 or the Act Amending Republic Act No. 11235, otherwise known as the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, is a testament of the Senate’s commitment to the people. According to Dela Rosa, the proposed legislation would assure motorcycle riders that they will not face discrimination while on the road. Earlier, riders considered RA 11235 as discriminatory for profiling them as “potential criminals.” Everybody is equal in the eyes of the law, Dela Rosa pointed out Monday, July 29, 2024. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)

Lawmaker’s offer

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, House committee on dangerous drugs chair, suggested that the lower chamber could even help the ICC, saying that investigators “may probably get some points, leads or information” from the transcripts of ongoing joint hearings.

“Again, it is a public record,” Barbers said of the documents. “[If] the ICC … probably feels that it will help them in their investigation, they can access these anytime.”

Since May 21, the House panel on human rights led by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. has conducted four hearings on extrajudicial killings under the drug war.

Guevarra earlier said that there was “no disagreement that there have indeed been incidents of human rights violations not just during the drug war, but other incidents of … extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances and other serious violations of the right to life, liberty and security.”

Drug war survivors and their kin, represented by lawyers Neri Colmenares and Kristina Conti, as well as former Sen. Leila de Lima, have categorically identified Duterte as the “chief architect” of the antidrug campaign for which the public is demanding accountability.

During Monday’s hearing, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez said that since the House investigations were being conducted by a duly constituted government institution, the findings could serve as evidence in both local courts and even the ICC.

“We are an independent body, and we are discussing this thoroughly. It will be dependent on the chairman what to do with the committee report,” Fernandez said.

“And that can be used by anybody, particularly the victims of the [war on drugs],” he added. INQ