Ex-Pres. Duterte on PH’s withdrawal from ICC: ‘It’s a silly court’ 

While he claims that it has nothing to do with his administration’s controversial drug war, former President Rodrigo Duterte said that the Philippines withdrew from the International Criminal Court because it’s a “silly” court. 

Duterte alleged that the ICC failed to act on some African leaders who committed crimes. But he did not name any specific countries or leaders. 

“It’s a silly court. Walang ginawa ‘yan, wala namang nakulong, basta puro demanda lang. We have seen a lot of world leaders from Africa committing acts of murdering his people, murdering his neighbor, wala naman akong nakita na, narinig nila na nakulong hanggang ngayon,” the former chief executive told the House of Representatives Quad Committee on Wednesday. 

(It’s a silly court. It did not do anything, no one is actually being jailed. They just keep on filing cases. We have seen a lot of world leaders from Africa committing acts of murdering his people, murdering his neighbor, but I did not hear these leaders being jailed.) 

Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the Hague-based ICC's Rome Statute in 2018, with the withdrawal taking effect in 2019, after the tribunal began a preliminary probe into his administration's drug war. 

But a Supreme Court ruling in 2021 said that the Philippines has the obligation to cooperate with the ICC despite its withdrawal from the Rome Statute, noting that the exit does not affect criminal proceedings pertaining to acts that occurred when a country was still a state party. 

Cagayan de Oro 1st district Representative Lordan Suan asked Duterte if he thought of facing the ICC during his term.  Duterte reiterated that he won’t allow a foreign court to try him. 

“Hindi ako bilib sa puti. I would rather face a Filipino. Maski wala akong abogado, ako lang, and he can sentence me to death or reclusion perpetua. Basta korte ng Pilipino, I will abide by it,” said Duterte.

(I don’t believe in the whites. I would rather face a Filipino. Even without a lawyer, he can sentence me to death or give me reclusion perpetua. As long as it is a Filipino court, I will abide by it.) 

“I will not allow a foreigner to judge me for the things I had to do during my time as president of the republic.” 

Duterte earlier in the day dared the ICC to come to the Philippines as soon as tomorrow to investigate him over the alleged crimes against humanity in his anti-drug campaign. 

“I am asking the ICC to hurry up and if possible, if they can come here and start the investigation tomorrow,” he said during the House probe on drug war killings during his administration.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/926894/duterte-icc-investigation/story/ 

Meanwhile, the present administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that it won’t object if Duterte decides to surrender before the ICC. —LDF, GMA Integrated News