PH WON’T HAND OVER DUTERTE TO ICC – MARCOS

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said the Philippines will not hand over former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) should it issue an arrest warrant against his predecessor.

The ICC is investigating Duterte over the alleged  human rights violations in the previous administration’s drug war.

In a media forum, Marcos said the government does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC over the country.

“We don’t recognize the warrant that they will send to us,” Marcos said.

President Marcos said the ICC may only step in the affairs of a nation in the absence of a functioning judicial system.

“It is their rule. It is the rule of ICC that they come in when there is no judiciary, they come in when there is no police force. We have a judiciary. The former Chief Justice (referring to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin),” the President said.

The Philippines officially cut ties with the ICC on March 17, 2019.

       ITS COMPLICATED: MARCOS SAYS OF TIES WITH DUTERTES

Meanwhile, Marcos described his relationship with the Dutertes as “complicated.”

During a question and answer portion in the same forum, the President was asked how he would reconcile his continued alliance with Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte amid her family’s vocal disdain over the Marcos administration’s policies.

“It’s complicated, the President responded, laughing.

Marcos, however, said his relations with the Vice President have not changed.

Marcos and Sara ran and won as a tandem in the May 2022 elections.