SolGen to consult Marcos on ICC drug war probe

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. will be among the officials Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra will consult as the International Criminal Court (ICC) moves to reopen investigation on the drug war during the Duterte administration.

According to a "24 Oras" report, Guevarra will seek the opinion of Marcos as well as that of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice and international law experts.

Guevarra said the government will study its options in response to the invitation of the Hague-based court for the Philippines to provide observations on its request to reopen the probe.

The Solicitor General said his office will look into the issue of ICC's jurisdiction to investigate the Philippines.

In March 2019, the Philippines officially quit the ICC after the body launched a preliminary examination in 2018 of Duterte's drug crackdown that has killed thousands and drawn international censure.

In a communication dated July 14, the ICC gave the Philippines until September 8, 2022 to provide any observations on the planned reopening of the probe.

The ICC also instructed its prosecutor—represented by Karim A. A. Khan and Colin Black—to submit any response to the observations of the Philippines by September 22, 2022.

It also instructed the Victims Participation and Reparations Section (VPRS) to coordinate with victims and their legal representatives, and collect their views by September 8, 2022.

The VPRS was then instructed to submit all views and concerns it received to the Chamber by September 22, 2022 at the latest.

Meanwhile, Senator Ronald Dela Rosa said the ICC should not meddle in the investigation on the drug war, stressing the country has a working criminal justice system that can deal with the matter.

As Duterte's first Philippine National Police chief, Dela Rosa spearheaded the administration's war on drugs.—LDF, GMA News