By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
THE Philippines will cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) if it issues arrest warrants against people linked to former President Rodrigo R. Duterte over his anti-drug campaign, Malacañang said on Monday, signaling Manila’s willingness to help despite its withdrawal from the tribunal.
“If it goes through the process, that’s what this government wants,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a news briefing in Filipino. “Everything this government does goes through the process.”
The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2018, with the exit taking effect in 2019. However, Ms. Castro said authorities might still cooperate in serving arrest warrants through the International Criminal Police Organization, similar to the mechanism used when Mr. Duterte was arrested in 2025.
Over the weekend, the ICC identified several high-profile figures as co-perpetrators in the drug war, including Senators Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go. Mr. Duterte is detained in The Hague, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity.
Also named in court documents were former Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II; former Philippine National Police chiefs Vicente D. Danao, Jr., Camilo P. Cascolan and Oscar D. Albayalde; ex-National Bureau of Investigation chief Dante A. Gierran; and former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency head Isidro S. Lapeña.
The ICC has yet to issue arrest warrants against them.
Mr. Aguirre and Mr. Go have denied the allegations. Mr. Dela Rosa has not attended Senate sessions since Nov. 11, 2025, when reports first surfaced about a possible warrant.
His lawyer, Israelito P. Torreon, earlier said the ICC’s disclosure was procedural and did not constitute a finding of guilt.
Ms. Castro urged those named not to evade authorities if they maintain their innocence.
“If you are hiding, what does that mean?” she asked. “There is no need to hide if you know you are not at fault.”
Mr. Duterte’s confirmation of charges hearings are scheduled for Feb. 23, 24, 26 and 27.
According to a less redacted version of the charge sheet from the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, Mr. Duterte and his associates shared a “common plan or agreement to neutralize alleged criminals” through violent means, including murder.
Prosecutors said Mr. Duterte bears criminal responsibility for three counts of crimes against humanity involving at least 76 deaths.
These include 19 killings during his tenure as mayor of Davao City, 14 murders of alleged high-value targets, and 43 deaths of lower-level drug suspects nationwide from 2016 to 2018.
Legal and foreign policy analysts said the Marcos administration’s stance reflects a broader effort to demonstrate adherence to international law.
Josue Raphael J. Cortez, a diplomacy lecturer at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, said the government’s position indicates an intent to collaborate with the ICC and reinforces its rule-of-law credentials.
He noted that the crimes occurred before the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute took effect, providing the legal basis for the tribunal’s jurisdiction.
“The very fact that the crimes transpired in the years prior to such withdrawal serves as the benchmark from which our National Government is dealing with the matter,” he said, rejecting claims that cooperation is purely political.
Francis M. Esteban, a faculty member at Far Eastern University’s Department of International Studies, said the move strengthens the Philippines’ image as a rule-based actor in the international system despite pressures facing multilateral institutions.
He said the administration appears to be reaffirming its view that international norms and institutions must be respected, even amid geopolitical tensions.
Mr. Cortez added that cooperation with the ICC also aligns with Manila’s broader diplomatic objectives, including its bid for a nonpermanent seat at the United Nations Security Council and efforts to maintain credibility among foreign partners.
