Albayalde on ICC arrest: My conscience is clear

Stressing that his conscience is clear, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde said he is ready to face investigation in the previous administration’s war on drugs, but maintained that it should not be by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

- EMMANUEL TUPAS

Albayalde said on Friday that he would cooperate if the Department of Justice (DOJ) would summon him, but not if it is the ICC, which he stressed has no jurisdiction over the country.

“It should always be through channels. Any international court or foreign entity cannot just enter and conduct such without following protocol,” he said in an interview.

“I think the President made that very clear several times, that we will not cooperate. It’s because we have our own functioning justice system and we are thankful for that,” he said.

ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti said on Thursday that Albayalde and Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, former president Rodrigo Duterte’s first PNP chief who implemented the war on drugs, were explicitly named in public documents as possible to be investigated by the international court primarily due to command responsibility.

Sought for comment, Albayalde said he has nothing to hide, stressing that he only followed legal orders in connection with the anti-drug campaign.

“All the operations are all normal police operations although it was focused on illegal drugs,” he said.