Former president and now House Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday defended her recently filed resolution and asserted that it should be up to the Philippine government and not the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte for his bloody war against drugs.
"Una sa lahat, 'yung problema ng illegal drugs, iyan ay problema ng bansa. "Kaya ang bansa ang maghahanap ng solusyon," Arroyo said in a chance interview with the media.
"Ang maghuhusga, ang taong bayang Pilipino. 'Yun ang spirit ng resolution," she added.
The Senior Deputy Speaker also said that the country is no longer a member of the ICC.
"Hindi lang tayo ang hindi member ng ICC, pati ang US hindi member ng ICC. Kaya nga sabi ni CPLC [Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce] Enrile, kung siya raw 'di raw niya kikilalalanin ang jurisdiction ng ICC," she added.
Echoing earlier statements of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla, Arroyo said the country can have a dialogue with the ICC, but it is not allowed to rule over the country's cases.
When asked about her reactions to criticism against the resolution, she said she "respects their opinions."
On Thursday, Arroyo and 18 other lawmakers filed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dzrh.com.ph/post/arroyo-files-resolution">House Resolution No. 780,</a>&nbsp;which urges the House of Representatives to&nbsp;declare "unequivocal defense" for Duterte against the possible ICC probe.
Meanwhile, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go, a longtime aide of Duterte, thanked the Senior Deputy Speaker and her colleagues in Congress for the resolution.
"Bilang senador ngayon at naging parte rin ng nakaraang administrasyon, alam ko na ginawa lang ni dating pangulong Duterte ang kanyang sinumpaang tungkulin para sa kaligasan ng mga Pilipino at kinabukasan ng ating mga anak," he said.
The senator also underscored that Filipinos and not foreigners will be the ones to judge Duterte for his previous war on drugs.
"Ang Pilipino ang mas nakakaalam sa tunay na sitwasyon at naging epekto ng ating kampanya noon. "Sila ang nakakaramdam ng naging ginhawa na nakakalad ang kanilang mga anak sa gabi at nakakauwi ang kanilang pamilya galing ng trabaho na walang takot," Go said.

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Arroyo asserts ICC can't investigate Duterte for his drug war