PNP open to ICC probe – Eleazar

The Philippine National Police has nothing to hide and is open to an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, according to PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar.

- NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS

“In the case of the ICC, from the very start, the PNP – at least during my leadership – I have mentioned that we are ready for any investigation,” Eleazar told “The Chiefs” on Cignal TV’s One News on Thursday.

“We would like to assure the public that we really – and we have been reiterating this – have nothing to hide and we want those who committed wrongdoings to be held accountable,” he said.

Malacañang has said President Duterte would “die first” before cooperating with an ICC probe.

The Palace maintained that the ICC lost jurisdiction over the Philippines following the latter’s withdrawal in 2018 from the Rome Statute that created the court.

The Duterte administration also considers such probe an affront to national sovereignty as it maintains that Philippine courts and other institutions tasked to investigate drug killings are functioning.

Eleazar said he acknowledged the stand of the administration and that the national police was letting the government deal with the “political” side of the issue.

Asked if he would cooperate if invited for questioning by the ICC, he replied, “First off, this is more on political, so let the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) or the government handle it first. So eventually, if we get there (to the point of an ICC summons), we will cross the bridge when we get there.”

An ICC pre-trial chamber earlier approved the inquiry into the drug war, saying the crime against humanity of murder “appears to have been committed” and that potential cases arising from the probe appear to fall within the court’s jurisdiction.