Manila Rep denies reports of ICC arrest warrant against VP Sara

Manila 3rd District Representative Joel Chua addressed ongoing speculation regarding the alleged issuance of an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against former President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Sara Duterte, stating that no official confirmation has been made.

In a radio interview on Tuesday, Chua emphasized that as of yesterday, there has been no verified report on the existence of such a warrant.

“As of yesterday, no one can confirm whether a warrant has actually been issued. These are just rumors and speculation at this point,” Chua said in Filipino.

The congressman, who chairs the House Blue Ribbon Committee, clarified that based on available information, only former President Duterte is being investigated by the ICC for his controversial war on drugs.

“I only know about the warrant concerning former President Duterte. As far as I am aware, there is none for VP Sara. This could just be another diversionary tactic to shift attention away from the impeachment issue,” Chua said.

His statement comes amid reports that an ICC warrant could impact the impeachment proceedings against the Vice President. If the ICC moves forward with the case and requires her presence, the trial could face delays.

Under Duterte's administration, the Philippines withdrew from the ICC following its decision to investigate alleged human rights abuses linked to the war on drugs.

Accordingly, the ICC said that it retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the Philippines was still a member, which covers alleged human rights violations from 1 November 2011 to 16 March 2019.

Despite the country’s withdrawal from the ICC in 2019, Chua pointed out that the country remains a member of Interpol, an international organization that facilitates law enforcement cooperation among its 195 member countries.

“When we sought help in locating Alice Guo, Interpol supported us. We cannot just turn our backs on them now,” Chua said on Monday, 10 March.

The Interpol does not issue arrest warrants but can issue “Red Notices,” which serve as international alerts for wanted persons.

This means that while domestic enforcement of an ICC warrant is uncertain, international travel could pose risks for those facing charges.