DOJ debunks ICC warrant claim Against Go

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday dismissed claims that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant of arrest against Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and two other individuals.

The denial came after Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte alleged that arrest warrants had already been released by the international tribunal.

DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said authorities have verified with the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime (PCTC) that no such warrant exists.

“We confirm that we have not received any official communication from the ICC regarding the alleged issuance of a warrant of arrest against Sen. Bong Go,” Martinez said in a statement.

According to the DOJ, information obtained from the PCTC as of Thursday morning showed that the ICC had not issued any arrest warrant against the senator.

Go served as special assistant to former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte from 2016 until he won a Senate seat in 2019.

Former President Duterte is currently facing charges of crimes against humanity before the ICC in connection with his administration’s anti-illegal drug campaign from 2016 to 2022. He has been detained in The Hague since March 11, 2025.

Also disputing Rep. Duterte’s claim was Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who said the government had not received any warrant from the ICC involving Go or two retired senior police officials.

“Baka sabog siya nun, nung narinig niya, kasi wala pa kaming nakikitang ganun eh, so di namin alam (Maybe he was high when he heard it, because we haven’t seen it, so we don’t know),” Remulla said during an interview at Camp Crame.

The DILG chief emphasized that authorities would act on any valid legal order should one be issued, but cautioned against spreading unverified information.

“‘Yung mga ganung klaseng pronouncements, delikado yun kasi (Those kinds of pronouncements are dangerous),” Remulla said.

Government officials maintained that, as of Thursday, no official notice or communication from the ICC regarding an arrest warrant against Go had been received by Philippine authorities.