Guevarra on staying as SolGen: I leave it to the President

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said it is up to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. whether he will remain as the government’s top lawyer.

“I leave it to the President,” Guevarra said in a message to GMA News Online.

He issued the remark when sought for comment on the Palace saying he should assess if he is still capable of acting as the Solicitor General following the recusal of his office from the petitions filed by former President Rodrigo Duterte’s children, seeking his release and return from The Hague, Netherlands.

The OSG recused itself on Monday, stating it “may not be able to effectively represent Respondents in these cases” due to its firm stance that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.

The OSG's manifestation pertains to the consolidated habeas corpus petitions filed by Veronica "Kitty" Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, and Davao City Representative Paolo "Pulong" Duterte before the Supreme Court.

Guevarra said that the OSG’s position will remain the same “irrespective of the personalities involved.”

He also said that he has no conflict of interest.

“The OSG represents the interest of the republic vis-a-vis the ICC and no other interest. Our recusal is not personal; it is institutional,” he said.

When asked if the office will recuse in all future petitions involving the ICC and Duterte, Guevarra said it is still up for discussion.

“It will depend on the nature of the cases that may be filed in the future,” he said.

Duterte faced the ICC for the first time on Friday through a video conference. He is facing charges for crimes against humanity over his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs.

The next hearing on the confirmation of the charges has been set for Sept. 23, 2025. — AOL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News