President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday repeated his declaration that he will never let himself be tried by an international court for mass killings in his war on illegal drugs and vowed no letup in the government’s crackdown against the illegal drug trade in the country.
The President made this remark after the Supreme Court (SC) junked the petition questioning the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2019.
In a related development, Malacanang said the President was merely joking after remarking that he had cancer when he suddenly coughed during his speech in Leyte.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the President is healthy and the public has nothing to get worried about.
Duterte, meanwhile, said he was not stupid to let the “animals” in the international court put him on trial.
“You’re crazy. They tried to sue me before the International Court of Justice based in the Hague, it’s in Europe,” Duterte said during the government assembly on efforts to address the local armed communist conflict in Leyte.
He said the Philippine justice system was working fine, so it would be “stupid” to imagine he would let an international court put him on trial.
“I will only face, be tried or face a trial, in a Philippine court. Presided by a Filipino judge. Prosecuted by a Filipino …Now they want me to face trial there? Do you think I’m stupid?” he added.
Duterte has refused to recognize the jurisdiction of the international court, saying he would only face trial in the country.
The President, who vowed an unrelenting anti-drug crackdown, explained that he warned those who will destroy the nation with illegal drugs.
“I really hate drugs. Do not destroy my country. Do not destroy our daughters and sons. If you don’t want to die, drop the shabu. Because if I catch you and engage in an encounter in a corner, you will really die. That’s how I hate drugs,” he said.
Duterte said he was making gains in his anti-narcotics campaign, with less drugs on the streets.
“Whether they like it or not, I will continue what I started to the very end,” he said.
Duterte launched an aggressive campaign against the illegal trade since the start of his term in 2016. The anti-drug crackdown however drew criticisms from groups here and abroad for the alleged extrajudicial killings and other abuses.
“On the basis of what I saw on TV, no, I would say, the President was joking when he said he could have cancer. That should not be taken to mean he really has cancer,” Roque said in a briefing.
Roque said the President is committed to his oath of office which requires him to uphold the Philippine Constitution—the same charter which mandates him to disclose a serious ailment public.
The Palace official said he was not aware of any information that would worry the public but assured the people that the President will inform them of any serious illness.
“The President is a lawyer, and he will follow the Constitution. If he is seriously ill, he will inform the public,” he added.
Meanwhile, Roque said Duterte does not have any out-of-town trips scheduled for the Holy Week.
“From what I see, he has no further engagement in his schedule. He will just be in the Palace,” he said.
Roque also said the President will have his regular ‘Talk to the People’ on Monday and many other meetings in the Palace. But he will have no out-of-town engagements,” he added.
