Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez speaks to the members of the media at Saturday News Forum, Quezon City on Saturday, August 17, 2024. (PHOTO by Arnel Tacson/INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez on Saturday explained that while the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) does not issue international warrants of arrest, the government is obliged to accept and assess notices issued by the police body.
Vasquez was referring to Interpol’s issuance of notices such as red notice, blue notice, and yellow notice depending on what a member state needs from its fellow member state.
“Kung tayo ay makakatanggap ng isang notisiya, properly issued by the Interpol, we are obliged to accept them and study. Doon papasok din iyong pangalawang aspeto ng sinabi ng ating Kalihim Boying Remulla na aralin at suriing mainam kung iyon bang hinihingi na pag-aresto o anuman tungkol sa warrant sa labas,” said Vasquez in the Saturday News Forum.
(If we receive a properly issued notice by the Interpol, we are obliged to accept and study them. This is related to the second aspect mentioned by Secretary Remulla to study and thoroughly assess if the request is an arrest or anything related to an outside warrant.)
“Remember na iyong warrant of arrest kasi is territorial in character, ibig sabihin lamang niyan, puwede mong iimplementa iyan doon sa limits ng iyong territory, nothing outside of that. And you can also extend it constructively by way of treaties at doon po papasok iyong Interpol,” Vasquez added.
(Remember that the warrant of arrest is territorial in character, it means that it can only be implemented within the limits of a territory, nothing outside of that. And you can also extend it constructively by way of treaties and that’s where Interpol intervenes.)
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Wednesday that while the Philippines is no longer a member of the International Criminal Court, it remains committed to the Interpol.
“Wala na tayo commitment sa ICC, pero ang Interpol may commitment tayo tsaka far-reaching ‘yan. Kailangan natin tandaan na there are more than 10 million Filipinos going around the world right now na baka kailangan ng tulong ng Interpol,” said Remulla in a briefing.
(We don’t have a commitment with ICC anymore, but we have a commitment with Interpol and it is far-reaching. We need to remember that there are more than 10 million Filipinos around the world right now that might be needing the help of Interpol.)
According to the Interpol website, red notice helps locate international fugitives; yellow notice aids in finding missing persons; and blue notice gathers information on a person’s whereabouts or possible connection to a criminal.
Interpol said that red notices are not an arrest warrant but they are “important because they are used to simultaneously alert police in all our member countries about internationally wanted fugitives.”
Teves case
Vasquez further contextualized the issuance of notice of a member state to a fellow member in the case of the inclusion of former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. in the red notice system of the Interpol.
Teves is the alleged mastermind of the killing of then Governor Roel Degamo and nine others in Negros Oriental in March 2023.
“With that valid warrant of arrest here in the Philippines, hindi mo naman puwedeng iimplementa sa Timor Leste, ‘di ba? So, ang paraang iyon ay red notice. Pumunta iyong Interpol doon, binigyan ng notice. Iyon namang Timor Leste bilang responsableng miyembro ng Interpol tinanggap nila at inimplementa iyon,” Vasquez noted.
(With the valid warrant of arrest here in the Philippines, we can’t implement that in Timor Leste, right? So, that way is a red notice. Interpol went there, and handed the notice. Timor Leste, as a responsible member of Interpol accepted and implemented it.)
Teves was arrested in Timor Leste in March while playing golf. In June, a Timor Leste court approved the country’s extradition request for Teves.
However, Vasquez said that Teves can not be deported back to the country yet because his case is still pending in the Timor Leste court.
“Pending pa iyong kaso niya, bakit? Kasi nasa judicial processes, nandoon iyong sino ang nag-implementa nito—Timor Leste police enforcement. Sino ang nagdedetermina kung tama ba o hindi? Timor Leste. Ganoon ang sistemang iyan,” he noted.
(His case is still pending, why? Because of the judicial processes, it talks about who will implement it—Timor Leste police enforcement. Who will determine if it is right or wrong? Timor Leste. That’s how the system is.)