MANILA — Senator Imee Marcos questioned the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for their reported actions on an alleged International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant of arrest against Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

Marcos described the supposed report as “specious and suspicious,” saying it was troubling that the Ombudsman appeared to act on information from a tribunal “that the Philippine government does not even recognize.”

“Is it part of the Ombudsman’s mandate to execute warrants of arrest issued by a tribunal that the Philippine government does not even recognize? Is it within his lawful functions to coordinate with the ICC in any capacity? If not, then maybe he should focus on his actual work,” she said.

The senator also questioned the DOJ’s response to the report, saying the department seemed to contradict President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s position that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.

“As for the DOJ, has the department forgotten that the President himself has repeatedly declared that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines and that his administration will not cooperate with its proceedings?” Marcos said.

She accused the DOJ of appearing “eager to resurrect the same illegal mechanism it once used against former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” despite the absence of a formal request or communication from the ICC or Interpol.

Citing Section 17 of Republic Act 9851, or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, Marcos said the law only allows the surrender of a person already in custody — not the arrest of any individual without a Philippine court order.

“To construe otherwise would amount to authorizing extrajudicial arrests for the purpose of delivering Filipinos to a foreign tribunal—a power that R.A. 9851 clearly does not bestow,” she said.

“The DOJ must be reminded that under our Constitution, only Philippine courts may issue warrants of arrest, as they alone are vested by the Fundamental Law with judicial power. No act of cooperation with a foreign entity can supersede this fundamental guarantee of due process and sovereignty,” she added.