The Philippines requested the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a red notice for the arrest of former lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr., the Department of Justice said Saturday.
DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said the notice would alert Timor Leste about the arrest warrant issued by the Philippines.
The Philippines earlier filed an extradition case against Teves in connection with the killings of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and eight other people, but the case is still under judicial review in Timor Leste.
“The Philippines requested an Interpol red notice. The red notice informs a member state to implement the arrest warrant issued by the Philippines,” Vasquez said during a news forum in Quezon City.
Meanwhile, Vasquez said the DOJ has not received updates on a potential ICC arrest warrant to be issued in September against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“We are not aware of that. None of our government agencies have been informed about anything,” he said.
He said any potential issuance of a red notice or arrest request by Interpol would be carefully evaluated under Philippine laws.
“Any arrest made, if it happens, will be done according to our laws,” Vasquez said.
Justice Secretary Jesus Remulla earlier said the country is duty-bound to help Interpol in case it serves an arrest warrant against Duterte and others named in the ICC probe.
“We respect Interpol’s actions 99.9 percent of the time…If a problem arises, they (ICC) will bring it to Interpol. We are members of Interpol, and we do not block any movement of Interpol unless a policy contradicts our international commitments. The future issue at hand now is that if a warrant of arrest is issued – it’s Interpol’s job to serve it, and we have a duty to Interpol,” Remulla said.
Government records show that some 6,200 drug suspects were killed during the Duterte administration but human rights organizations say that the actual number is closer to 30,000.
