The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday vowed to continue working on cases related to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) having taken him into custody in The Hague, Netherlands.
“The wheels of justice are rolling, so to speak. However, I think it’s really a matter of timing because right now we are still collating all the evidence regarding former president Duterte’s drug war, and many witnesses are coming forward to us,” DOJ spokesperson and assistant secretary Mico Clavano said.
“However, the case filed with the ICC came first, which is why their warrant of arrest also came first,” he said in a television interview.
The justice official also refuted claims that Duterte’s turnover to the ICC violated the country’s sovereignty and that local courts were no longer functioning.
“This should not be an admission that we do not have a working justice system. In fact, we have strengthened the justice system due to the numerous reforms of the Department of Justice and the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) under President Marcos’s administration,” Clavano said.
“Many are also saying, ‘are we not giving up a part of our sovereignty? Are we surrendering our sovereignty?’ In the government’s view, this itself is an act of sovereignty to cooperate with the international community,” he continued.
Clavano said the DOJ would continue investigating the supposed police abuses during Duterte’s term and vowed to bring to justice those who would be proven guilty.
“We will not stop just because someone has been apprehended by the ICC. That is not true. We will continue to work, we will continue to work and gather evidence, and we will make sure that those who are charged with these crimes will be given their day in court, due process. If ever it is proven that our law enforcement made mistakes, we will hold them accountable,” he said.
The DOJ official reiterated that Duterte’s arrest was legal and that due process was observed.
He also debunked claims that the former chief executive was denied medical care and access to lawyers.