Lawyer Harry Roque on Tuesday said former President Rodrigo Duterte may be arrested “at any time” in connection with the International Criminal Court’s investigation of his administration’s bloody war against illegal drugs, but admitted he does not know how it can be legally implemented.
“You know what, I have a confession. I didn’t sleep. Because Tatay Digong called me and said, he got information that he might be arrested at any time,” Roque said during his Facebook live on Sunday.
“My instinct was to run to Davao [City]. However, I also told myself: What can I do if I run there? But I couldn’t really sleep,” Roque said without elaborating.
Pressed on Tuesday as to how the warrant could be implemented given that the ICC has no power to arrest, Roque admitted he is also unsure how it can happen.
“I really don’t know how he will be arrested,” he said in a phone interview as he acknowledged that only the government can implement the arrest order, if indeed one has been issued by the ICC.
Asked if he received information that the Department of Justice or any other government agency has committed to implement the arrest, Roque said: “I really don’t know. It could be local. It could be abroad.”
In reaction to this claim, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said it is not possible for the ICC to serve an arrest warrant because it has not yet reached out either directly or indirectly to the Philippine government.
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra echoed this position, explaining that the ICC is supposed to notify the government first before it can serve a warrant of arrest against the former president.
In his Facebook live, Roque said Duterte’s claim about his impending arrest was corroborated by rumors of Task Force Davao’s disbandment due to its perceived loyalty to Duterte.
“Now, of course, I sniffed around for what is happening in Davao. Well, it seems like there is truth in what he said because I gathered news that Task Force Davao would be disbanded,” Roque said.
“They know that this Task Force Davao is loyal to the Dutertes. So it seems that there was — well, that’s the buzz now — that Task Force Davao will be disbanded,” he added.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines, however, denied Roque’s pronouncements about Task Force Davao.
“Rumors that Task Force Davao will be disbanded are false. In fact, we will be creating more task forces for areas that need our presence to maintain the peace,” AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said, debunking Roque’s claim.
Task Force Davao was established on April 16, 2003, after the terror attacks on Davao International Airport and Sasa Wharf in Davao City that year.