Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 23) — Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the recent remark of the country’s chief executive against the International Criminal Court is justified as a leader of a sovereign country.
“It’s ‘BS’ (bullshit), because in the first place, we are a sovereign country, kung mayroong dapat mag-imbestiga at maglitis kay Presidente (if there is someone who needs to investigate and put the president in trial), it will have to be Filipino fiscals and trial will have to be before Filipino judges,” Roque said in a briefing.
This is in connection to the statement of President Rodrigo Duterte during his Monday address, wherein he again shrugged off the call of the international body to conduct an investigation on his controversial war against illegal drugs. He also emphasized that he will only face a Philippine court with a Filipino judge if his anti-illegal drug campaign will be investigated.
On June 15, Outgoing ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda requested for an authorization to start an investigation into the alleged crime against humanity committed by Duterte’s deadly war on drugs.
According to the ICC prosecutor, around 12,000 to 30,000 civilians were killed from July 2016 to March 2019 in connection with the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign. Government data showed that 6,117 individuals died during anti-drug operations as of April 30 this year.
Duterte questioned the need to defend “an accusation before white people,” even calling the ICC bullshit and crazy.
In the Philippines, the Justice Department formed an inter-agency panel June 2020 assigned to look into the drug operations conducted that led to deaths, including minors.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said at least 81 drug death cases under preliminary investigation or pending before the courts.
RELATED: UN rights chief: PH drug war review must yield ‘meaningful results’
