MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) clarified that arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) may be transmitted directly to law enforcement agencies of relevant countries.

The statement came amid reports of a supposed ICC arrest warrant against Senator Ronald Dela Rosa.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in The Hague have not received any warrant of arrest or related documents from the ICC, nor has any such document been uploaded in the ICC online portal,” DFA spokesperson Angelica Escalona said.

“We note that under the Rome Statute, arrest warrants, if any, can be transmitted directly to law enforcement agencies of relevant countries.”

The Philippines is no longer a state party to the Rome Statute after its official withdrawal on March 17, 2019. However, the country maintains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed during the period it was a state party — from November 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said in an interview with dzRH that an ICC arrest warrant had already been issued for Dela Rosa.

“At this point, we do not have independent confirmation as to whether or not this information is accurate,” Dela Rosa’s counsel, Israelito Torreon, said in a statement posted on social media.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III reiterated that no senator may be arrested within the premises of the Senate, citing institutional dignity and courtesy.

Malacañang said on Saturday that it has yet to receive official confirmation on an ICC warrant for Dela Rosa, who served as chief of the Philippine National Police during the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

In a separate statement, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said that while the ICC might have issued a warrant, it has yet to transmit it through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for enforcement.

“Remember that ICC might have issued, but might not have yet coursed the service through the Interpol,” he said.

(PNA)