Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Monday confirmed that the Marcos administration is cooperating with the International Criminal Court, departing from Malacañang’s earlier explanation that the government was cooperating with Interpol rather than the ICC.
Remulla made the acknowledgment during an interview on ANC’s Headstart with Karen Davila on October 19, while discussing efforts to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.
“So the government is cooperating with the ICC,” Davila asked, after establishing that the warrant being discussed came from the international court.
“Yes,” Remulla replied.
When Davila followed up, “But not to that extent,” Remulla rejected the suggested limitation.
“No, to all our extent, except we have to be careful on how we do it,” he said.
Remulla explained that authorities were negotiating with an unidentified group allegedly protecting Dela Rosa because an armed operation could result in casualties. He presented the concern as a question of how to carry out the arrest, without invoking the distinction between cooperation with Interpol and cooperation with the ICC.
“We do not want a civil war to start because of the arrest of one man. We want to do it properly, and we want to do it judiciously, and we want to do it cleanly,” he said.
The acknowledgment contrasts with the Palace’s earlier public explanation of the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague.
On March 11, 2025, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attributed Duterte’s arrest to the Philippines’ commitments to Interpol.
“Interpol asked for help, and we obliged because we have commitments to the Interpol which we have to fulfill,” Marcos said. (pco.gov.ph)
The Palace maintained that distinction in a February 16, 2026 briefing. Asked whether the Philippines would cooperate with Interpol but not the ICC, following the approach used in Duterte’s arrest, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro answered: “Iyon po ang nangyari before, at iyan din po ang mangyayari ngayon.” (pco.gov.ph)
The administration has also defended Duterte’s surrender under Section 17 of Republic Act No. 9851. In its March 12, 2025 statement, the Department of Justice cited the provision as authority to surrender persons accused of crimes covered by the law to an appropriate international court. (pia.gov.ph)
In Monday’s interview, Remulla also said the government would act if the ICC issued a warrant against Senator Bong Go, including arresting him on Senate premises. Davila expressly framed the question as hypothetical.
Remulla said both Go and Dela Rosa would be afforded due process, citing a procedure prescribed by the Supreme Court.
“The Supreme Court came up with a system of how to do an extradition. So he will be afforded that, like Bato will be afforded that,” he said.
Remulla did not identify the specific rule or ruling he was invoking. He also did not clarify whether his acknowledgment of ICC cooperation referred exclusively to assistance coursed through Interpol or included direct coordination with the international court.