Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla doubts International Criminal Court, or ICC, investigators are already in the Philippines.

Remulla pointed out that ICC probers could not just quietly enter the country but would have had to announce their visit.

The Justice chief made the statement over the weekend in reaction to reports that ICC investigators were already in the Philippines.

"It is their responsibility and duty to make contact with the Department of Justice following principles of international law," Remulla said. "They have not made contact with the DoJ."

The ICC wants to look into the deaths of thousands at the hands of state forces during the drug war under the previous Duterte administration.

The Philippine National Police reported about 7,000 people killed during anti-drug operations in the six years of the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte from 2016 to 2022.

However, complaints filed before the ICC have estimated that from 20,000 to 30,000 were killed.

The report that ICC investigators were in the country had come in a social media post by former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque who cited information from a colleague.

"One of my former associates [said] foreigners who were members of the ICC have been to the Philippines. So I have confirmation that these foreigners have been conducting investigations in the country," Roque said.

He said that a surreptitious investigation by the ICC "is in violation of our Constitution because we are no longer members of the ICC."

Remulla said the ICC should respect the country and not just send its people without notifying the government.

It may be recalled that sometime last year, Remulla said ICC probers would be arrested if they insisted on coming to the Philippines.

If the ICC believes it has a case, Remulla said, charges should be filed in the Philippines because "we are a country with a fully functioning judicial system."

On 18 July 2023, the ICC Appeals Chamber denied the Philippines' motion to stop the investigation into the so-called crimes against humanity filed against the Duterte government.

The ruling junked an appeal filed by Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra that cited the country's withdrawal from the Rome Statute which created the ICC.