FORMER senator Antonio Trillanes IV yesterday said Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, and four former officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have been named as “suspects” by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its investigation on the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.
In a post on his X account, Trillanes said Dela Rosa, former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde, former Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Police Maj. General Romeo Caramat, former PNP intelligence officer Brig. General Eleazar Matta, and former National Police Commission (Napolcom) commissioner Edilberto Leonardo are “now considered” as suspects in the ongoing probe.
He attached photos of ICC documents, dated July 3, in his X post.
As suspects, the former senator said the five are now suspected to have taken part in the crimes committed during the implementation of the Duterte government’s illegal drugs campaign.
“The OTP (Office of the Prosecutor) is currently focusing its investigations on allegations of widespread and systematic killings of individuals in the Philippines, as part of policy to eliminate drug users and suppliers between 2011 and 2019. During this period, large numbers of drug offenders were killed during police operations,” said the ICC in the document signed by Deputy Commissioner Nazhat Shameen Khan.
“Under Article 54 (1) of the Rome Statute, the OTP is obliged to conduct investigations which cover all the facts and evidence. This includes providing individuals under suspicion of crimes to provide their versions of events. In this context, the OTP has reasonable grounds to believe that the following retired and serving members of the Philippine National Police have committed crimes within the jurisdiction of the OTP,” another document stated, listing the names of the five former police top officials.
No further details were provided in the documents posted by Trillanes.
On September 15, 2021, the ICC authorized its prosecutor to “open an investigation” on the alleged crimes committed by then President Rodrigo Duterte and former officials of the PNP, including Dela Rosa, who was the former president’s PNP chief who launched the intensified “Oplan: Tokhang” campaign against illegal drugs.
Oplan Tokhang is a combination of two Visayan words which means “to knock and plea.”
On November 10, 2021, the Philippine government requested the ICC to defer its investigations on the bloody war on drugs, saying that the country’s legal system is working well.
On January 26, 2023, the ICC Pre Trial Chamber denied Manila’s request and authorized its prosecutor to go ahead with its investigation, prompting the Philippine government to file an appeal.
On July 18, 2023, the ICC Appeals Chamber “dismissed the Philippines’ appeal” and confirmed the decision of the Pre Trial Chamber.
Trillanes has previously said that warrants of arrest may be issued by the ICC against Duterte, Vice President Sara Duterte, Dela Rosa, and Sen. Christopher Go, among other officials, by June or July this year.
He said the warrants might be issued in batches, with the first batch including Duterte, while the second batch would cover Go, Dela Rosa, and the Vice President.
He said even if the Philippines is no longer a member of the Rome Statute, the arrest warrants can be coursed through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), of which the Philippines is a member.
