After announcing retirement from politics, Duterte says he will prepare defense for ICC probe
MANILA, Philippines — After announcing that he is retiring from politics, President Rodrigo Duterte said he would go back to his hometown Davao and prepare his defense for the investigation of the International Criminal Court over his bloody “war on drugs.”
But even as Duterte said he is preparing for his defense, the Philippine president again asserted that the ICC has no jurisdiction over his person.
In a taped public address that aired late Monday night, Duterte said his ratings are going down because people want him to stop joining politics. “They want me to return to Davao City and wait. For those who keep yapping about the case, I will wait for you. I will prepare for my defense, that ICC thing,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Duterte on Saturday announced that he is retiring from politics. He made a similar statement in 2015, but he still ran for presidency in 2016 and won.
The president continued: “Huwag lang kayong magsinungaling. Kung totoo lang tutal may record naman. Huwag kayong mag-imbento na ‘yung namatay ng malaria diyan pati—ica-charge ninyo sa akin. Kalokohan na ‘yan.”
(Just do not lie. If that is true, there should be a record. Do not make up evidence like including someone who died of malaria—that that too will be charged against me. That’s bullshit.)
Duterte, however, asserted that the Philippines has a working justice system and the ICC “never acquired jurisdiction over [his] person.”
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber has approved the request of the Office of the Prosecutor to launch an investigation into Duterte and his men, who are accused of committing crimes against humanity over their bloody “war on drugs.”
The investigation will also cover alleged killings in Davao City between 2011 and 2016, when Duterte was in the local government of the southern Philippine city.
While the Duterte administration remains adamant that they will not cooperate with the probe due to supposedly lack of jurisdiction, the international tribunal, however, said it had jurisdiction over crimes committed while the Philippines was still a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from Gaea Katreena Cabico
President Rodrigo Duterte says the controversial drug war will continue until the last day of his term, with or without a communication filed at the International Criminal Court.
Duterte: It does not mean that there are dead persons we will stop the campaign against drugs @PhilippineStar @PhilstarNews
— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) February 26, 2018
The ICC recently announced that it has begun processing the accusations against Duterte and his campaign against illegal drugs, which has led to the killing of thousands of people since he assumed power in June 2016. — Photo of the ICC building by AP/Peter Dejong
Vice President Sara Duterte issues a curt response to the ICC’s decision to resume its probe on the drug war killings under her father former President Rodrigo Duterte: “No Comment.” — Cristina Chi
The Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC) expresses its elation over the recent decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Appeals Chamber, which firmly rejected and dismissed the Philippine government's appeal to halt the investigation into the Philippine situation.
"We have been waiting for this decision. The families of victims of the war on drugs have long been waiting for justice," the PCICC says.
"As of now, many of the victims and families who suffered and continue to suffer due to the brutal war on drugs pin their hopes on the ICC as the only credible venue for justice," it adds.
A human rights group has expressed its satisfaction with the recent decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reject the Philippine government's attempt to halt the investigation into drug war-related killings in Davao City and during former President Rodrigo Duterte's regime.
"It is high time that the ICC investigation proceeds without a hitch so that the victims of Duterte’s bloody anti-drug war can finally tread the road towards justice and accountability," Karapatan says.
"There is urgent need for international mechanisms such as the ICC to come in because all domestic investigation mechanisms presented by the Duterte and the current Marcos regimes in response to calls for justice and accountability are ineffective and only meant to window-dress the current dire human rights situation," it adds.
International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber rejects Philippine government's appeal, allowing the resumption of the investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed in relation to the so-called drug war and Davao death squad killings. — The STAR/Janvic Mateo
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. says the Philippines “cannot cooperate” with the International Criminal Court as he raised “questions about their jurisdiction and about what we consider to be interference and practically attacks on the sovereignty of the republic.”
With the rejection of the ICC’s Appeals Chamber of the Philippines’ request to suspend probe into “war on drugs,” Marcos says “that ends all pur involvement with the ICC.” — The STAR/Alexis Romero
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