President Marcos clarified that his administration does not intend to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) on investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial anti-drug campaign even while assuring that it will abide by its commitments with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL).
In a chance interview in Cavite on Thursday, Mr. Marcos said that the government would have “no role” in the possible interaction between Duterte and the ICC.
“If [cooperating with the ICC] is good news to him, to PRRD [President Rodrigo Roa Duterte], then we won’t prevent it,” the President stated.
“It’s up to him whether he wants to engage with or be investigated by the ICC, but as far as we’re concerned, that decision is his alone, and we have no role in it,” he added.
The chief executive affirmed that the government’s policy remains unchanged despite Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin’s comments on Wednesday that seemed to suggest a willingness to engage with the international tribunal if processed through INTERPOL.
He explained that any INTERPOL red notice related to Duterte would be handled separately from the ICC, with the country’s obligations to INTERPOL remaining intact.
“We have obligations to INTERPOL, and we have to fulfill those,” the President said.
“But our stance on the ICC remains: we do not cooperate with it,” he added.
In an earlier statement, Bersamin said that the government will neither object nor prevent Duterte from engaging with the ICC.
“If the former President desires to surrender himself to the jurisdiction of the ICC, the government will neither object nor block it,” Bersamin said.
However, he clarified that if the ICC initiates a red notice for Duterte through INTERPOL, the government would be obligated to respond and cooperate per international protocols.
Duterte publicly challenged the ICC to accelerate its investigation into his controversial anti-drug campaign.
“I am asking the ICC to hurry up. They are taking so long. I might die before they can investigate me,” Duterte said.
“If I am found guilty, I will go to prison and rot there,” he added.
The Philippines withdrew its membership from the ICC in 2019 under then-President Duterte, following the ICC’s initial inquiries into alleged extrajudicial killings linked to his administration’s anti-drug efforts.
While unmoving in his stance towards the ICC, Mr. Marcos signaled openness to a reinvestigation into drug-related killings from the former administration, indicating the Department of Justice (DOJ) may take further action depending on findings from the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Asked about initiating a DOJ-led inquiry into extrajudicial killings (EJKs) linked to Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign, Mr. Marcos said he is awaiting findings from the PNP before deciding further action.
“Right now, that is being done by the PNP. We are waiting for their findings,” he said.
He emphasized that recent statements, including those from the former president, will be assessed for any potential legal implications.
He also noted that families of victims still seek justice, stressing that the DOJ is responsible for examining all evidence and testimony to determine if it warrants filing new cases.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “PBBM hands off on ICC vs Rody, but vows to work with Interpol.”
