DOJ maintains it will wait for SC ruling on Duterte petitions 

Justice spokesperson Polo Martinez on Wednesday maintained that the Department of Justice (DOJ) will wait for the Supreme Court (SC) ruling on the consolidated petitions concerning former President Rodrigo Duterte before it acts on any alleged warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“The DOJ takes the position that it would be prudent to wait for the resolution of the SC before it acts upon any alleged warrant,” Martinez said in a press briefing.

Following the former president’s arrest in March 2025, Duterte and Senator Ronald Dela Rosa asked the SC to prohibit the Philippine government from cooperating with the ICC and Interpol.

The petitions filed by Duterte's children — Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, and Davao City Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte — also remain pending. They recently argued that their petition is not moot.

The petitions are still pending with the High Court.

Martinez believed that the SC would take into consideration the country’s obligations as a member of Interpol.

“I’m sure po the SC will take that into consideration when they make the resolution. At alam naman po ‘yan ng SC (and the SC knows that),” he said.

“Gaya po ng sabi ko kanina, kapag tayo naman po ang humingi ng tulong sa Interpol, mag iisip na po sila. Baka hindi tayo pag bigyan. ‘Yun lang naman po ang consequences noon. If you are a member of something, of course, may understanding na magkakasundo tayo,” he added.

(Like I said earlier, if we are the ones who ask for help from Interpol, they will think twice. They might not grant it. Those are just the consequences of that. If you are a member of something, of course, there is an understanding that we will agree with each other.)

He said that the DOJ will have to comply with the SC’s possible ruling. He affirmed that the government has the option to appeal this.

“Kapag mag issue po siya ng resolution tapos may directive (if the SC issues a resolution and there is a directive), then of course we will have to comply with that,” he said.

Martinez, meanwhile, said that the Executive Branch has the prerogative to either extradite or surrender individuals who have been issued arrest warrants by the ICC.

When asked if there would be consequences should the Executive defy an SC ruling, Martinez said there would be consequences.

“Of course, meron ‘yan. As we all know, non-compliance by a directive of the court may be subject to contempt. The court will also provide for specific consequences in the order,” he said.

“Everything has consequences, but at the same time, I also echo what you said that all these are hypothetical, at least for now,” he added.—LDF, GMA Integrated News