Metro Manila, Philippines – Malacañang rejected claims by Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte that the administration is weaponizing the International Criminal Court (ICC) against political opponents, stressing that the cases before the tribunal were initiated by Filipinos seeking accountability for alleged extrajudicial killings.
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the complaints before the ICC did not originate from the Marcos administration and predate the current government.
“Unang-una, alam naman natin, korte ito. At meron namang kaso, may kaso na kapwa nating Pilipino ang nagsampa laban sa mga diumanong pang-aabuso patungkol sa EJK. So huwag nating kalimutan iyan. Pilipino rin po ang nagsampa ng kaso,” Castro said.
[Translation: First of all, we know that this is a court. There are cases before it that were filed by fellow Filipinos over alleged abuses related to extrajudicial killings. Let us not forget that it was Filipinos who filed these cases.]
Castro added any arrest warrant issued by the ICC would remain valid if properly issued by the court.
Duterte alleged on social media that arrest warrants had supposedly been issued by the ICC against Senator Bong Go and two former police officials. Citing a “highly reliable source,” Duterte accused the administration of using the ICC as a political weapon against its rivals.
“Wala na ba talagang katapusan ang administrasyong ito sa paggamit ng ICC bilang political weapon laban sa kanilang mga kalaban?” Duterte said in a Facebook post.
[Translation: Will this administration never stop using the ICC as a political weapon against its political opponents?]
The lawmaker’s claim came after former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said Go could be the next target of an ICC arrest warrant as an alleged co-conspirator in the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.
Castro, however, said the ICC proceedings should not be blamed on the current administration.
“So bakit ba lagi nating sinisisi ang korte? Sinisisi natin ang administrasyon? Huwag nating kalimutan na iyong kaso na isinampa ito 2017 pa. So hindi ito wine-weaponize, kinakailangan lamang po na matugunan din ang hiling ng mga kababayan natin.”
[Translation: Why do we keep blaming the court and the administration? Let us not forget that this case was filed as early as 2017. This is not being weaponized. What is being sought is a response to the appeal of our fellow Filipinos.]
She said the legal process should be allowed to determine responsibility.
Castro also criticized attempts to frame the ICC issue solely as a question of national sovereignty.
“Ang nangyayari po kasi dito, lagi na lang ginagamit itong issue na ito para pagalitin ang kapwa nating Pilipino at pag-usapan ang tungkol sa soberanya.”
[Translation: What is happening is that this issue is repeatedly being used to anger fellow Filipinos and shift the discussion toward sovereignty.]
She also pointed to Republic Act No. 9851, which allows Philippine authorities to cooperate with international tribunals under certain circumstances.
Asked whether President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had issued instructions regarding reports of a possible future ICC warrant against a senator, Castro referred operational matters to the Department of Justice.
“Well anyway, nakita po natin kung paano po ba natin pinapatupad ngayon iyong warrant of arrest laban kay Sen. Bato dela Rosa. Pero iyong mga operasyon, ibibigay ko na lamang iyan para sagutin ng DOJ.”
[Translation: We have already seen how the government is implementing the arrest warrant against Sen. Bato dela Rosa. As for operational matters, I will leave those for the DOJ to answer.]
Sources familiar with the matter told NewsWatch Plus that no arrest warrant has been issued against Go. The nature of ICC arrest warrants is confidential, with warrants typically remaining under seal unless the court orders them to be made public.
