- Police nix ICC warrant vs FPRRD rumor over additional troops at airport
THE POLICE Regional Office (PRO) XI has denied that the deployment of Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) personnel to Davao International Airport is related to an alleged International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant of arrest against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Instead, authorities attributed the increased police presence to a routine simulation exercise.
PRO XI spokesperson Major Catherine Dela Rey issued the clarification in a message to TIMES on Sunday as two mobile patrol vehicles and an open 6×6 truck were stationed at the airport.
“As per our investigation division, there is no warrant of arrest. The activity at the airport is a simulation exercise,” Dela Rey stated.
When asked for details about the simulation exercise, Dela Rey said, “No specific scenarios were provided.”
“The RMFB has been deployed at the airport for some time. You can see them at the entrance. So, the RMFB conducted the simulation exercise,” she added. “It’s simply a simulation exercise by the RMFB. Not all deployed personnel in the Davao Region are from the Davao Region. As for the scenarios, no information was given.”
Regarding the purpose of the exercise, Dela Rey explained, “It’s a plain simulation exercise. Simulation exercises are for us to be ready for any eventualities during an operation. The RMFB is assigned to the airport, so the airport is one of their simulation exercise locations.”
“These activities are regular. This shows our commitment to being prepared for any eventualities in our area of responsibility. During a simulation exercise, we identify areas that need enhancement or improvement, such as time management, equipment, etc. It’s crucial to identify shortcomings in a simulation rather than in an actual operation, where we are dealing with life and death while securing innocent civilians and minimizing damage. That’s why we also conduct earthquake and fire scenarios for disaster preparedness.”
“We also conduct communication exercises (Commex) to check the capabilities of communication devices like radios and cell phones and to assess signal strength in various locations, especially remote areas,” Dela Rey said.
When questioned about why the simulation exercise wasn’t coordinated with other airport units, Dela Rey responded, “As of now, it’s just the RMFB. If the scenario requires other units, we can coordinate with them.”
Regarding the volume of checkpoints in Davao, Dela Rey stated, “Our checkpoints in the Davao Region are regular.”
Airport security confirms Simex
For his part, Colonel Germano P. Mallari, Aviation Security Unit XI chief, confirmed in an exclusive interview with iFM News Davao that police officers have been conducting a simulation exercise at the airport since Sunday morning.
According to Mallari, PRO XI coordinated with AVSEU XI for the 30-40 police officers, including Civil Disturbance Management personnel, deployed to the airport for the exercise.
“They said they are conducting simulation exercises at the airport,” Mallari stated, adding that they were not involved in the PRO XI-led Simex.
Mallari declined to comment on whether the police presence was related to rumors of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant of arrest against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“We have no idea about that; you should ask PRO XI. They only told us they would conduct a simulation exercise outside the terminal building,” he said.
Palace reaction on alleged ICC warrant
Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Secretary Jay Ruiz says they are aware of unconfirmed reports that the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“We’ve heard that an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court against former President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity. The government is prepared for any eventuality.”
Duterte was scheduled to lead the campaign sortie of the Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas (PDP) senatorial slate among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Duterte reportedly flew to Hong Kong on Friday.
The ICC is investigating the former President for alleged crimes against humanity over the death of thousands during his administration’s brutal war on drugs.
Contributed photos
