Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 23) — Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. on Thursday said his resolution calling for the Marcos administration’s cooperation with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) drug war probe is not a personal attack against former President Rodrigo Duterte who was behind the controversial program against illegal drugs.
“Hindi naman ito personalan (This is not personal). I believe that even the former president is level headed being a lawyer, and sometimes he is very passionate and emotional in his statement but I believe he still believes in the rule of law,” Abante told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
The lawmaker, who is also chairman of the lower chamber’s human rights committee, on Monday filed House Resolution No. 1477 with 1-Rider Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez as co-author, urging relevant government agencies to fully cooperate with the ICC’s investigation.
READ: More solons urge Marcos admin to cooperate with ICC drug war probe
Abante said he previously agreed that the ICC does not need to conduct its probe since the country’s justice system is working. But with the issue dragging on, he said he realized “it will never stop as long as there would always be accusation among some of our people here to the ICC.”
The lawmaker said it will be better to have the ICC officials come over and see the criminal justice system is effective.
Sen. Imee Marcos has rejected calls to work with the ICC, saying the country should be “ashamed” to let foreign courts intervene with Philippines’ justice system.
For Abante, it would be more embarrassing if the ICC’s investigators are prevented from coming to the Philippines when they should know what is really happening.
