Pres. Marcos Jr., says PHL already investigating drug-related killings that happened during Duterte administration
(Eagle News) — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Monday, Aug. 1, that the Philippines “has no intention of rejoining” the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The decision came about after President Marcos Jr., convened his legal team to discuss what would be the strategy of his administration in dealing with the ICC.
The ICC, through Prosecutor Karim Khan, had informed the Philippine government before of his plan to resume the ICC’s investigation into killings during the previous Duterte government’s crackdown on drugs.
Before the former President Rodrigo Duterte stepped down from office, Khan claimed that the deferral on the ICC probe sought by the Philippines was not warranted. He was of the view that the ICC should “authorise the resumption of the Court’s investigation in the Situation in the Philippines, notwithstanding the Deferral Request” from the Philippines.
On Monday, August 1, President Marcos Jr., said that the Philippines would not rejoin the ICC.
“The Philippines has no intention of rejoining the ICC,” he said in an interview citing the results of the meeting with the Philippine legal team.
He said that there is already an ongoing investigation being conducted by the Philippine government and courts regarding the drug-related killings in the past administration.
“Sinasabi naman naming may imbestigasyon naman dito,” the President said.
-PHL govt’s strategy on dealing with ICC being studied-
He said that his administration was already closely studying the procedures and ways on how to address the matter.
“Patuloy din naman ang imbestigasyon, bakit magkakaroon ng ganu’n? So anyway, para alam natin ang gagawin natin, if we will respond, if we will not respond,” Marcos Jr said.
He said that his government would also study their response to the request of the ICC for a probe.
“Kung sakali man sasagot tayo, ano magiging sagot natin or possible din, basta hindi natin papansinin dahil hindi naman tayo sumasailalim sa kanila,” said Marcos.
The chief executive has convened his legal team to begin discussing his administration’s strategy in dealing with the ICC, which wants to open a probe into the alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Duterte administration.
President Marcos Jr., met with Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on July 27.
The meeting took place more than a week after the ICC invited the country to offer observations on the ICC prosecutor’s request to reopen the probe into the killings attributed to the anti-narcotics campaign.
In an order dated July 14, the ICC said the country has until September 8, 2022, to provide any observations on the planned reopening of the investigation.
In March 2018, former President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute. This was weeks after former ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced a preliminary examination was underway into the administration’s illegal drugs crackdown.
The Philippines officially cut ties with the international court on March 17, 2019, exactly a year after the Rome Statute’s revocation.
(Eagle News Service)