OLD age won’t spare former President Rodrigo Duterte from arrest should the International Criminal Court (ICC) issue a warrant in connection with the bloody campaign against illegal drugs during his administration, according to human rights advocate Chel Diokno.
“Hindi po exempted ang mga ‘tanders’ sa jurisdiction ng International Criminal Court (ICC). Kahit anong edad pa iyan, kailangang may pananagutan,” Diokno said during a press conference in Cebu City when asked if the 79-year-old Duterte may avoid arrest due to his advanced age.
The Philippines officially left the ICC in 2019, however ICC has maintained that it retained jurisdiction as its inquiry on the drug war occurred when the country was still a member, which was from Nov. 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019.
The human rights lawyer emphasized that if Duterte has nothing to fear, he should face the ICC head on as he was the commander-in-chief then.
“Palaging sinasabi ng nakaraang administrasyon na kung wala kang kasalanan, ‘di ka dapat matakot. Dapat ganito rin ang kanilang paninindigan sa ICC,” Diokno said, adding that the buck stops with Duterte as the former leader of the land.
