News Roundup 30 March 2023
Mar 30, 2023 • 4 min Read
SolGen clarifies Marcos quip: ICC appeal still on | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government has not retracted its appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to stop the reopening of the latter’s inquiry into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs “unless President Marcos orders its withdrawal,” Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said on Wednesday.
The official made the clarification in response to the president’s pronouncement on Monday that the Philippines would “disengage” from the ICC after the Hague-based court rejected the government’s request to suspend the drug war inquiry, which is distinct from its other appeal pending with the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber (PTC) to reverse the decision allowing a full investigation to proceed.
“I’ll have to clarify with him that the appeal itself is still pending. It has not been denied. It has not been dismissed. We are simply awaiting the resolution of that appeal, which we don’t know when to come,” Guevarra said in an interview on ANC.
“The president might have gotten the impression it was the appeal itself that was dismissed. So I’m sending him a memo today to clarify that the appeal is still on,” he said.
In a separate message to reporters, Guevarra, who served as justice secretary under the previous administration, said he would discuss possible options with the president.
Full Story at: SolGen clarifies Marcos quip: ICC appeal still on | Inquirer News
Teves family aides hit police pressure anew | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Three of those arrested during the raid on a compound said to be owned by the family of suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. are claiming that policemen are pressuring them to accuse the lawmaker and his brother, former Negros Oriental Gov. Pryde Henry Teves, as the ones who ordered them to bury the cache of firearms and ammunition seized during the operation.
According to lawyer Michael Mella, his clients Negil Electona, Jeson Timtim and Dionilo Mayagma Jr. are eyeing to file a complaint against the police officers before the Commission on Human Rights.
“They told me that they were being pressured to admit that Rep. Teves and his brother Gov. Pryde ordered them to bury the firearms recovered during the raid,” Mella told reporters.
He said his clients did not name names but he assumed that these people involved members of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, where the three suspects are currently detained.
Mella said his clients were being threatened with “malicious” cases that would be filed against them if they do not cooperate.
Full Story at: Teves family aides hit police pressure anew | Inquirer News
Government revises departure protocols after complaints vs immigration officers | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Immigration procedures are undergoing revisions following complaints over the apparently overly strict implementation of departure protocols for travelers leaving the Philippines, the Department of Justice said on Thursday.
In a statement, the DOJ said the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking is “in the process of revising the departure formalities to better reflect current trends and plug the gaps that arose along the way.”
IACAT, chaired by the DOJ, serves as the coordinating and monitoring mechanism on all anti-human trafficking efforts of the government.
Several travelers have complained on social media about missing their flights or being offloaded after fielding probing questions by Bureau of Immigration officers.
“Moreover, we are in coordination with the BI and other stakeholders to minimize the inconvenience caused by the departure formalities to Filipino travelers,” the DOJ said, adding that the “excessive or inappropriate behavior” of some immigration officers are being investigated.
Full Story at: Government revises departure protocols after complaints vs immigration officers | Philstar.com
Wary of potential arrest warrant, Bato says avoiding countries ‘loyal’ to ICC | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa admitted Thursday he is avoiding traveling to countries he perceives to be “loyal” to the International Criminal Court to evade potentially getting arrested should the tribunal issue a warrant for him.
“As of now, I don’t know if I will travel abroad and the country I will go to is an ICC country,” Dela Rosa said in Filipino in a virtual news briefing. “It would be difficult if a warrant is issued against me while I’m in another country.”
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan is still investigating alleged crimes against humanity committed in the course of the “war on drugs” during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte which was engineered by Dela Rosa who was police chief at the time.
Full Story at: Wary of potential arrest warrant, Bato says avoiding countries ‘loyal’ to ICC | Philstar.com
