Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 20) — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said the International Criminal Court (ICC) is not just a body for justice but it’s meant to forward a political agenda for many people.
Remulla added it was \”natural\” for Filipino lawmakers to come out with a resolution defending former President Rodrigo Duterte from the ICC’s investigation.
Last week, 18 lawmakers including former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called on the House of Representatives to declare support for Duterte against any probe by the ICC.
The ICC recently allowed the resumption of the investigation into the thousands of suspected drug pushers and users killed in the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war.
Remulla insisted the country’s legal system is functioning.
“[T]hey want to take over some of our functions just to criticize the way we ran our country before. Hindi ho tama ‘yan. Kaya ‘yung political agenda na ‘yan we will not bow down to that,” he said.
[Translation: (T)hey want to take over some of our functions just to criticize the way we ran our country before. That’s not right. We will not bow down to that political agenda.]
Remulla noted there’s no mechanism wherein ICC investigators can come into the country to conduct investigations.
