Palace to Rodrigo Duterte's 'co-perpetrators': Don’t hide if you’re innocent

Malacañang Palace on Monday urged individuals named as alleged co-perpetrators of former President Rodrigo Duterte in the crimes against humanity case not to go into hiding, especially if they maintain their innocence.

''Unang-una, kung kayo'y nagtatago ano bang ibig sabihin niyan, kayo ba'y may kasalanan? Tinatago niyo para hindi po kayo madinig at maescape, maevade the liability of what you had done?" Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said during a briefing. 

(First of all, if you are hiding, what does that mean? Are you trying to escape and evade liability for what you have done?)

"Hindi po kinakailangang magtago kung alam po nila na wala silang kasalanan (There is no need to hide if you know you are not at fault)," she added.

According to Castro, those implicated should face the legal process.

"Humarap sila at maging matapang sa maaaring maging proseso (They should come forward and be brave enough to face whatever proceedings may come)," she said.

Over the weekend, the International Criminal Court (ICC) released a document identifying individuals allegedly part of a “common plan” to “neutralize alleged criminals” through violent acts, including murder.

Those named were Senators Ronald dela Rosa and Bong Go; former Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II; former Philippine National Police chiefs Vicente Danao, Camilo Cascolan, and Oscar Albayalde; former National Bureau of Investigation chief Dante Gierran; and former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency head Isidro Lapeña.

Castro said no arrest warrants have been issued against the personalities, so there is currently no basis to strictly monitor their whereabouts.

''Kapag may warrant of arrest na naissue na po, kailangang iimplement. So kung babantayan sila, sa ngayon wala pa pong dahilan para sila'y bantayan dahil wala pa pong narereceive ang gobyerno na warrants of arrest,'' she said.

(If and when a warrant of arrest is issued, it must be implemented. At present, there is no reason to monitor them because the government has not received any warrants.)

ICC assistant to counsel Kristina Conti earlier clarified that being named as an alleged co-perpetrator in the crimes against humanity case does not automatically lead to arrest, noting that it is up to ICC prosecutors to seek such warrants.

Aguirre and Go have already denied the allegations. Dela Rosa, meanwhile, has not attended sessions at the Senate of the Philippines since November 11, 2025, when reports surfaced that an arrest warrant had allegedly been issued against him.

The ICC has scheduled the confirmation of charges hearing in Duterte’s case on February 23. The former president has been detained in The Hague, Netherlands, for the past 11 months.—MCG, GMA Integrated News