The Philippine National Police said on Monday that testifying before the International Criminal Court is voluntary, stressing that no police personnel are barred from cooperating with the tribunal’s investigation into the war on drugs during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
PNP spokesperson Randulf Tuaño clarified during a press briefing at Camp Crame that the ICC’s appeal for cooperation does not amount to a formal summons and that any participation by police personnel would be purely voluntary.
“‘Yung kanilang (ICC) panawagan ay panawagan lamang at wala pang opisyal na summons na natanggap. Ito ay isang invitation lamang to cooperate voluntarily,” Tuaño said.
He stressed that the PNP neither compels nor prevents any of its members from testifying before the ICC.
“Ang official line ng PNP, the PNP does not compel nor prevent any individual from testifying. Meaning ang PNP, hindi pinipigilan, pinagbabawalan ang sinumang miyembro na gusto or nais mag testify sa panawagan ng Internal Criminal Court,” he said.
Tuaño said police personnel considering cooperation are advised to seek legal counsel, noting that participation is a personal decision.
“Sinasabihan natin ang ating PNP personnel na ang kooperasyon is personal legal decision,” he said.
He added that the PNP respects due process and the legal rights of its members, including those who may choose to respond to the ICC’s appeal.
Earlier, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor said it is calling on direct witnesses to come forward, including members of the PNP and other law enforcement agencies who may have been involved in incidents under investigation. Individuals who wish to participate may confidentially submit initial information through the ICC’s online portal.
The ICC is investigating allegations of crimes against humanity, including killings, torture, and sexual violence, allegedly committed in the course of the anti-drug campaign from 1 November 2011 to 19 March 2019.
The Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC in 2019, but the tribunal has maintained that it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the country was still a state party.