MANILA — Malacañang said officials named by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor in connection with former president Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war should not hide if they believe they are not guilty.

In a report, the ICC prosecutor has named eight present and former officials, including Senators Bong Go and Ronald dela Rosa, as being allied in the Duterte-era drug war killings.

Dela Rosa, who served as Duterte’s first police chief, has not appeared at public events or Senate sessions since rumors of an ICC arrest warrant began circulating. He has been absent from sessions since November 2025 and declined to take part in budget hearings.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the administration is not involved in the ICC’s legal proceedings but maintained that domestic legal mechanisms had made Duterte’s 2025 arrest possible.

“Kung kayo ay nagtatago, ano ba ang ibig sabihin niyan? Kayo ba ay may kasalanan, tinatago ninyo para hindi po kayo madinig at ma-escape kayo or ma-evade the liability of what you have done? So, hindi po kinakailangang magtago kung alam po nila na sila ay walang kasalanan; humarap sila at maging matapang sa maaaring proseso,” Castro said, without naming any of the accused.

(If you are hiding, what does that mean? If you are at fault, do you hide this so you will not be heard and you can escape or evade liability over what you have done? So, there is no need to hide if they know that they are not guilty; they should come forward and face the process.)

Castro clarified that no arrest warrant has yet been issued against the other officials named but said authorities would implement any such orders if necessary.

She also said there are no current discussions on the Philippines rejoining the ICC.

Although the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under Duterte, it remains a member of Interpol. The Marcos administration has previously cited its Interpol obligations in explaining the legal basis for Duterte’s arrest in 2025.

Many of Duterte’s supporters have staged protests locally and internationally. Asked how the Palace would respond if supporters stir up tensions, Castro urged calm and said authorities should be allowed to follow legal processes.

At least 6,000 people died during Duterte’s drug war, with some reports suggesting the number could be as high as 30,000.

Police operations during the campaign frequently ended in suspects being killed, often described by authorities at the time as acts of self-defense. Rights groups in the Philippines and abroad have condemned the killings, which were deemed extrajudicial executions.