Jonvic Remulla on Pulong Duterte's ICC warrant claim: 'Baka sabog nung sinabi niya'

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday dismissed claims made by Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has already issued an arrest warrant against Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.

Speaking to reporters at Camp Crame, Remulla said government authorities have not received any information or document indicating that such a warrant has been issued, adding the congressman must have been high when he made the remarks regarding the ICC warrant.

“Hindi ko nga alam, kaya baka sabog noong sinabi niya kasi siya lang ang nakakita noon eh. Sa amin wala pa naman,” Remulla said when asked about Duterte’s statement.

(I don't know what he's saying. He must have been high when he made those remarks because he was the only one who saw that. On our end, there's none.)

Go's name has been mentioned in the court records of the crimes against humanity charges former President Rodrigo Duterte is facing before the ICC, in connection with the killings in the war on drugs under the latter's administration.

Go was a longtime aide and confidante to the former president.

Another close ally of the former President, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, is already the subject of a warrant of arrest from the ICC. Dela Rosa was Rodrigo Duterte's first chief of the Philippine National Police when he became president.

Dela Rosa was also a former chief of police in Davao City, where Rodrigo Duterte served as mayor.

Pulong Duterte on Wednesday posted on social media that a “highly reliable source” had informed him that ICC arrest warrants had already been issued against Go and two former police officers.

“A highly reliable source informed me that ICC arrest warrants against Senator Bong Go and two former police officers have already been issued,” Pulong Duterte said in his post.

The congressman also accused the administration of allegedly using the ICC as a political weapon against its opponents and questioned the government’s motives.

“Wala na ba talagang katapusan ang administrasyong ito sa paggamit ng ICC bilang political weapon laban sa kanilang mga kalaban?” Pulong Duterte said in his post.

(Is there no end to this administration using the ICC to go after its foes?)

Asked about Pulong Duterte’s claim that the information came from a highly reliable source, Remulla responded, “Baka high lang.”

(He's probably just high.)

The DILG chief also cautioned against making such pronouncements without verification.

“We are always prepared, pero yung mga ganung klaseng pronouncements eh delikado ’yun,” he said.

On Facebook, Pulong Duterte dared Remulla to take a hair follicle drug test to know who between them was high on drugs.

"Ako pa talaga ang sinabihan mong "high" at "sabog," Secretary Jonvic Remulla? Ako? O baka nagkamali ka lang ng tinutumbok at ang gusto mo talagang sabihin ay iyong mga nasa Malacañang?" Pulong Duterte said in a post.

"Kung gusto mo talagang malaman kung sino ang "high" at sino ang "sabog," simple lang naman ang solusyon. Magpa-hair follicle drug test tayo. Isama mo na ang boss mo at asawa't anak niya. Para isang testing na lang, tapos ang usapan," he added.

(I'm the one you called 'high' and 'sabog,' Secretary Jonvic Remulla? Or maybe you just made a mistake, and what you really mean are those in Malacañang? If you really want to know who is 'high' and who is 'sabog,' the solution is simple. Let's do a hair follicle drug test. Bring your boss, his wife, and children. Just one test, and the conversation is over.)

Pulong Duterte has repeatedly alleged that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., is using drugs, a claim that the Chief Executive laughed off.

For his part, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said he was likewise unaware of any ICC arrest warrant against Go.

“Eh, buti pa siya, ako hindi ko alam,” Nartatez said when asked about Duterte’s statement.

As of Thursday, no official confirmation has been issued by Philippine authorities regarding the alleged ICC warrant mentioned by Duterte. —NB, GMA News