PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has reiterated the Philippine government’s stance of non-cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its investigation into the Duterte administration’s drug war.
“We are not cooperating with the ICC,” Marcos told reporters in an ambush interview in Cavite. “That is the position of this government.”
This statement comes after former President Rodrigo Duterte, during a hearing by the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) on Wednesday, dared the ICC to conduct an immediate investigation into his war on drugs, which has been blamed for the deaths of thousands of individuals.
While Marcos maintained the government’s non-cooperation stance, he clarified that the decision on whether or not to cooperate with the ICC is ultimately up to Duterte. “But if he himself wants to be investigated, it’s up to him. It’s not our decision,” Marcos said.
The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, in 2019 after the Hague-based tribunal began a probe into the Duterte administration’s drug war. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin previously stated that the government would not object if Duterte chose to surrender himself to the jurisdiction of the ICC.
Marcos also emphasized that the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are already conducting investigations into drug war deaths during the Duterte era. “It is being done by the PNP and we are waiting for their findings. All of the testimony that was given yesterday will be taken in,” he said. “It will be assessed to see what is consequence of some of the statements made by former President Duterte that will result in a case being filed here. That is the responsibility of the Department of Justice,” Marcos added.
