President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. on Friday, Nov. 24, said the return of the Philippines under the fold of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is being studied amid the calls to the government to cooperate in the chamber’s war against drugs probe.
“There is also a question, should we return under the fold of the ICC, so that's again under study. So we'll just keep looking at it and see what our options are,” he told reporters in an interview.
But Marcos said that “there are still some problems in terms of jurisdiction and sovereignty” of the ICCs investigation into the drug war, recalling that the Philippines has withdrawn from the Rome Statute during his predecessor's administration in March 2019.
“That brings into question whether or not this is [investigation] actually possible,” he added.
The President then underscored that it is not appropriate that foreign nationals to meddle into the country’s cases.
“Para sa akin simple lang naman yang issue na yan, hindi naman siguro tama na ang tiga labas, ang mga dayuhan ang magsasabi sa atin kung sino iimbesitgahan ng pulis, sino aarestuhin ng pulis natin, sino ikukulong ng pulis natin. Hindi naman siguro tama ‘yun,” Marcos said.
“Dapat Pilipino lang ang gumagawa n’yan. May NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] naman tayo, may DOJ [Department of Justice] tayo. Kaya nila ang trabahong ‘yan,” he continued.
In July this year, the Chief Executive uttered that his government “will not cooperate” with the International chamber “in any way, shape or form.”
"We continue to defend the sovereignty of the Philippines and continue to question the jurisdiction of the ICC in their investigations here in the Philippines," Marcos added.
Earlier this week, House of Representatives members, including Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman, Quezon City 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and 1-Rider Partylist Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, filed resolutions urging the Philippine government departments and agencies to "extend their full cooperation" to the ICC.
Vice President Sara Duterte has called the lower house to respect the President’s position on ICC's investigation into the bloody anti-narcotics campaign of her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.
