Sen. Marcos bares details of gov’t ‘cooperation’ with ICC

Metro Manila, Philippines - Senator Imee Marcos bared details of what she claimed was cooperation of the government with the International Criminal Court (ICC) from personnel that entered the country In October and documents that they obtained in the process.

In a hearing of the Senate committee on foreign relations on Thursday, April 3, Marcos, who is also the chairperson, identified the ICC personnel as follows:

+ Glenn Roderick Thomas Kala – investigator

+ Amir John Kassam – protection expert

+ Maya Destura Brackeen – interpreter

+ William Rosato – protection expert

She said they arrived on separate occasions, the latest of whom were Kala and Kassam on Oct. 20. Brackeen and Rosato arrived on Oct. 4 and 15, respectively, according to travel details released by Marcos, even showing redacted copies of their passports.

“Humingi rin sila ng protection detail and transport sa PIlipinas. So maliwanag, na ang Pilipinas ay tumulong at talagang nagpakita ng partisipasyon,” Marcosa said.

“Kaya nagtataka tayo kung bakit tinatanggi nung ating mga opisyal na may ganito,” she added.

[Translation: They also requested a protection detail and transport assistance in the Philippines. So it’s clear that the Philippines assisted and really showed participation. That’s why we are wondering why our officials are denying that this happened.]

Marcos revealed that the ICC personnel requested information from the government, including the following:

+ bank records of a certain Peter Parungo from June 2016 to 2019;

+ police records from Police Station 6 in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, including blotter, seized evidence, and radio transmissions; and

+ records of dead-on-arrival patients at East Avenue Medical Center between July 2016 and 2017

Parungo has been mentioned in House quad-committee hearings as part of the task force which implemented a reward system for drug suspects killed during the Duterte administration.

Meanwhile, the senator said the ICC obtained a drug watchlist, financial and bank records, and forensic evidence. While acknowledging that some of this could have been acquired unofficially, she emphasized that the government should have been aware, given its substantial intelligence funds.

“Ang kaso sa ICC ay base sa ebidensyang ibinigay ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas… While the admin has been claiming it did not help the ICC, why did the prosecutor in his application for the warrant of arrest for PRRD cited the following documents as part of the evidence?” Marcos said.

[Translation: The case at the ICC is based on evidence provided by the Philippine government… While the administration has been claiming it did not assist the ICC, why did the prosecutor, in his application for the warrant of arrest for PRRD, cite the following documents as part of the evidence?]

The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the senator’s brother, has repeatedly stated that it does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC and did not cooperate with the tribunal’s investigation into alleged extrajudicial killings in which Duterte was implicated.

No official from the executive branch attended the hearing to respond to lawmakers’ questions, after the Palace declined the Senate’s invitation, citing executive privilege.