Public interest lawyer and Team Pinas convenor Atty. Dino de Leon said more arrests may follow in connection with the International Criminal Court case against former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte over his administration’s bloody drug war.
Speaking at the Saturday News Forum, De Leon said warrants against alleged co-perpetrators may have already been issued under seal or could be released later as part of the ICC process.
“Sealed lang as of the moment para ang expectation ko may warrants of arrest or lalabas ’yan anytime,” De Leon said.
He said political attacks against the ICC would not stop the court from proceeding with the case.
“Kahit anong performance, kahit na anong gawin sa Duterte Street, kahit na anong atake ng vice president of a sovereign country sa ICC, hindi ’yan magpapatinag,” he said.
De Leon said those named as alleged co-perpetrators should not expect the ICC process to end with Duterte.
“So you cannot be a co-perpetrator sa ICC tapos papabayaan ka ng ICC,” he said. “The mere fact na pinangalanan ka ng co-perpetrator means the warrant of arrest will be forthcoming.”
De Leon specifically cited Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, alleging that the senator played a major role in the drug war.
“Ako ang expectation ko, Bong Go’s warrant of arrest is already there, and it’s going to be a matter of time before he also gets arrested,” De Leon said.
“Let’s call a spade a spade. Bong Go was a fundamental part and a chief implementer and a chief source of finance of the bloody war on drugs,” he added.
De Leon also referred to former police official Col. Royina Garma, who he said had linked Go to the alleged financing of the campaign.
“Sinabi ni Col. Garma na sa kanya nanggagaling ang financing,” De Leon said. “In fact, Col. Garma would be a witness in the ICC proceeding.”
He also said Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa should face the ICC if he believes the drug war had legal justification.
“Pero siguro unahin muna natin si Bato Dela Rosa kasi kung matapang talaga si Bato Dela Rosa, haharapin niya ito,” De Leon said.
“At kung totoong wala silang tinatago at may legal justification naman pala, his remedy is in the ICC,” he added.
De Leon likewise rejected claims that the ICC is merely a foreign court detached from Philippine law, saying the proceedings are part of an international accountability mechanism that should be respected.