THE Department of Justice (DoJ) said on Saturday that nothing was inconsistent with Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla's statement that the Philippine government would not stop the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) from serving arrest warrants on individuals suspected of committing crimes against humanity during the drug war of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

"We remain an active and responsible member of the Interpol. So, under that premise, we are obliged to honor our commitment to the Interpol but nothing related to ICC (International Criminal Court)," said Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez in a news forum, noting that, unlike the country's membership with the ICC, which had already been withdrawn, the Philippines was still bound to its treaty obligations to the Interpol.

Vasquez added that if the Interpol asked the Philippines for help, the country was obliged to comply.

"We have to understand Interpol has its processes, that it is not an international police enforcement body but one that is composed of the different states whose law enforcement agencies cooperate and coordinate and share information and data with the idea of jointly and effectively combating transnational crimes — terrorism, terrorism financing, etcetera. So, the idea is to work together," he said.

Vasquez said notices from Interpol were not international warrants.

"There is no such thing as an international warrant of arrest. That only means that there are concepts in Interpol processes that are notices — red notices, blue notice, yellow notice — depends on what assistance or what coordination is requested by a member state from its fellow member state," he added.

ICC's chief prosecutor Karim Khan has requested the assistance of the Philippine government to interview former Philippine National Police chief and now Sen. Ronald de la Rosa, as well as four other former and current police officials concerning their involvement in Duterte's drug war.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., however, remained firm that his administration would maintain a "hands off" policy on ICC's probe into the alleged extrajudicial killings during Duterte's drug war.

Remulla said that the arrest of perpetrators in the case through an ICC warrant would be "very tricky" but noted that the ICC and Interpol usually cooperate with each other.

"Once an arrest warrant was issued, it's the Interpol's job to serve it. Under such circumstances, we are an adjunct of the Interpol," he said, adding there would be "repercussions" if the Philippines blocked Interpol operations.