Apparently reacting to a warning that the country will be in deep trouble if former President Rodrigo Duterte is arrested for the bloody drug war, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla denied on Monday (January 1) that International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors are now conducting their probe in the Philippines.

Remulla said he is not sure whether or not the ICC probers have indeed entered the country.

However, he stressed that they are duty-bound to inform government about their activities in the country as provided by the principles of international law.

On Sunday, lawyer Harry Roque, former spokesperson for then President Duterte, warned President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that he will be courting trouble and will face the worst phase of his presidency if he will allow the ICC to arrest Duterte and his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.

Speaking from Colorado in the United States, Roque accused Marcos of backpedalling on his previous position not to allow the ICC to conduct an investigation into the killings of thousands of suspected drug users and pushers during the first two years of the Duterte presidency.

“Nagbago ang isip ni PBBM tungkol sa ICC. May plano siyang ibigay hindi lamang si PRRD kundi pati si Inday Sara,” Roque claimed.

(PBBM changed his mind about the ICC. He has plans to give up not only PRRD but also Inday Sara).

A law graduate of the University of the Philippines, Roque insisted that the Vice President will also be subjected to ICC probe, prosecuted then arrested.

“Gagalaw ang DOJ, makikipagtuliungan (sa ICC). Gagalaw ang pulisya kapag nagkaroon ng warrant of arrest at ise-serve iyan hindi lamang kay PRRD kundi kay VP Sara na rin,” insisted Roque.

(The DOJ will act to cooperate (with ICC). The police will also act if a warrant of arrest is issued and will serve it not only against PRRD but also on VP Sara).

He warned: “Kapag iyan ang mangyayari, magkakagulo.” (When that happens, chaos will ensue)

Roque is convinced that Marcos is being given the wrong advice about the situation.

“Nagkakamali sila kung ang tingin nila ay wala nang suporta ang taumbayan (kay Duterte). Aalma ang taumbayan,” he declared.

(They are mistaken if they believe the public no longer supports (Duterte). People will resist).

His suspicion that Vice President Duterte will also be arrested is based on alleged account of an ICC witness that she was aware and approved of the killings masterminded by her father during her term as mayor of Davao City.

Senators Christopher ‘Bong” Go and Ronald de la Rosa were also implicated by the alleged witness.

However, Remulla stated that the DOJ is not aware of any probe being conducted by the ICC in the country.

” They have not made contact with the DOJ,” he said.

Further, the justice department chief said the ICC must file charges in the Philippines if it is convinced they have enough evidence to prosecute Duterte.

It will be recalled that the ICC turned down last year the Philippines appeal against the investigation into the slaughter of thousands of Filipinos at the heigh of Duterte’s drug war.