Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said on Thursday, June 26, that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is providing protection to at least three to four witnesses set to testify against former President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands — but only while they remain in the Philippines.
He clarified that the DOJ’s role is limited to safeguarding the witnesses locally, while the ICC will handle their transport and security upon arrival in The Hague.
“Ang pagkakaalam ko tatlo o apat pa lang ‘yung tinutulungan natin,” Remulla told journalists in an interview.
“But I think there will be more,” he added.
Remulla said the DOJ has been providing protection for the witnesses since May after the ICC contacted the DOJ’s Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program (WPSBP) requesting for security to the witnesses.
After learning that the ICC reached out to the DOJ’s WPSBP, Remulla recalled: “I told our program director to cooperate and to help them.”
Duterte is currently detained by the ICC in The Hague on charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the extrajudicial killings that took place during his illegal drugs war.
Remulla explained that providing protection to the witnesses does not go against the Philippine government’s stance that ICC no longer has jurisdiction over the country.
“We already chose not to pursue the cases and let the ICC pursue these cases,” he stressed.
He said it is hard to prove the cases against Duterte in the Philippines because those needed to talk were included in the charged crimes.
Thus, he said, the government allowed the ICC to pursue the cases since the victims filed the complaints before the international court.
At the same time, Remulla explained that providing protection to witnesses does not signal the Philippines’ return to the ICC.
“That is another decision that we will have to make as a country,” he added. (Jeffrey Damicog)
