Manila: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday denied the petition filed by former president Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa seeking to compel the production of the arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The case originated from a petition filed on March 11 by Duterte and Dela Rosa, challenging Duterte’s arrest and the Philippine government’s cooperation with the ICC.

According to Philippines News Agency, the respondents in the case included then Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, then Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, among others. Following the filing of the petition, the petitioners submitted a ‘Very Urgent Motion’ on November 12, requesting the SC to order Remulla to provide a copy of the alleged ICC warrant against Dela Rosa, which Remulla purportedly had, as reported by various news outlets.

On November 13, the petitioners also filed a ‘Very Urgent Manifestation’ claiming that Remulla publicly stated the issuance of an ICC arrest warrant. They alleged that a diffusion order against Dela Rosa was in place and that the Philippine government planned to surrender him to the ICC without extradition proceedings. Additionally, they noted that the Department of Justice (DOJ) had placed at least three witnesses under the Witness Protection Program at the ICC’s request.

The petitioners urged the SC to take judicial notice of Remulla’s statements and instructed the DOJ and the Department of Foreign Affairs to verify the existence or absence of any official ICC-related warrants or communications. They also sought a preliminary injunction, arguing there was ‘a clear, present, and continuing danger’ that Dela Rosa could be illegally arrested or surrendered to a foreign court without due process.

The Office of the SC Spokesperson stated, ‘Acting on these submissions, the SC denied the Very Urgent Motion seeking to compel the production of the alleged ICC warrant. It directed respondents to comment on the Very Urgent Manifestation, through personal service and filing, within a non-extendible period of 10 days from notice.’