The Marcos administration on Wednesday said that it would not stand in the way should former President Rodrigo Duterte choose to surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a statement, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin clarified that the government would neither object nor prevent Duterte from voluntarily submitting himself to ICC jurisdiction.
“If the former President desires to surrender himself to the jurisdiction of the ICC, the government will neither object to it nor move to block the fulfillment of his desire,” Bersamin said.
The Executive Secretary, however, explained that if the ICC channels its request for an investigation through Interpol, leading to a “red notice” for Duterte, the government would be required to respond.
Bersamin stated that the local law enforcement would “be bound to accord full cooperation to Interpol,” considering any red notice as a request for cooperation under established protocols.
“The government will feel obliged to consider the red notice as a request to be honored,” Bersamin said.
Earlier, Duterte publicly challenged the ICC to accelerate its investigation into his controversial anti-drug campaign.
During a House Quad Committee hearing, Duterte said he was ready to cooperate and urged ICC investigators to come to the Philippines and begin immediately.
“I am asking the ICC to hurry up. They are taking so long. I might die before they can investigate me,” Duterte said, adding, “If I am found guilty, I will go to prison and rot there.”
The ICC has been probing alleged human rights abuses linked to Duterte’s war on drugs, which saw thousands of extrajudicial killings during his presidency.
