Is the ICC closing in on Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte over drug war probe?

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra late on Monday confirmed that the International Criminal Court (ICC) had formally asked Manila for help in the proceedings, but Marcos Jnr had not replied.

Guevarra, who also served as Duterte’s justice secretary, told local media he was setting the record straight after former senator Antonio Trillanes IV leaked on social media platform X a redacted copy of a document purportedly coming from the ICC prosecutor asking the government’s help to “interview” five former and active Philippine National Police (PNP) officials on their role in the drug war which reportedly claimed thousands of lives.

“Yes, there is communication, there is a request from the ICC prosecutor [for] assistance from the Philippine government to facilitate the interview of five individuals,” he said, confirming the request was relayed by the ICC prosecutor in early July through the Department of Foreign Affairs.

He explained that the move by the Office of the Prosecutor marked a step just before a potential issuance of warrants of arrest.

Guevarra also said he was not privy to the decision of the Marcos government on the matter, but given previous pronouncements that the Philippines had “no legal duty to cooperate or to lend assistance, then probably the answer is negative”.

While the president’s office had final say on the matter, Guevarra noted that the ICC prosecutor could still continue his investigation. “He can interview these five people directly. All that we are saying is the government will not be involved,” he said.

Trillanes told This Week in Asia on Tuesday that Duterte was marked “principal suspect” in the case when the ICC prosecutor’s office signalled its intention to start investigations, adding that the