MANILA, March 13 -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday the Philippine government's cooperation with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) for the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte to face charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC) is an act of the Philippines as a sovereign state and the country's recognition of international laws.

Speaking at the Bagong Pilipinas news forum, DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano said the Philippines is obligated to honor its commitments to Interpol, which served the ICC warrant of arrest, and the move to cooperate with Interpol is an act of a sovereign state.

He noted that sovereignty is defined as the ultimate authority in the decis...