PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said the Philippines will not surrender former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) should it issue an arrest warrant against his predecessor over the supposed human rights violations in the previous administration’s drug war.
“We don’t recognize the warrant that they will send to us,” Marcos said during a media forum as he reiterated the government’s stand that it does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC over the country.
On claims that the Philippines is only following international laws when it is “convenient,” the President asserted that the country is merely adhering to the ICC’s own rules and that it may only step in the affairs of a nation in the absence of a functioning judicial system.
“It is their rule. It is the rule of ICC that they come in when there is no judiciary, they come in when there is (no) police force. We have a judiciary. The former Chief Justice [referring to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin] is sitting right here, he will explain to you how healthy and robust and active the judiciary is. The police force, I think, is the same thing,” he said.
“So, that is the reason. We are well within international law when we take the position of not recognizing the jurisdiction of ICC in the Philippines,” he added.
The Philippines officially cut ties with the ICC on March 17, 2019.
Also, the president said his relationship with the Dutertes is complicated.
This comes amid the vocal disdain of some members of the influential Duterte clan, particularly its patriarch the former president and also Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte, over certain policies of the Marcos administration.
However, Marcos said his relationship with Vice President Sara Duterte has not changed since the elections.
“[The person] I have the most contact with is Inday Sara and how we were with each other during the campaign, after the election, it hasn’t really changed,” Marcos said, adding that Sara chooses to just focus on her job amid all the controversies.
“She says, ‘I’ll just work. Don’t worry about it. I’ll just work and work and work and work.’ That’s her attitude,” he said. (PNA)
