Malacañang pushed back against claims that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is responsible for the progress of the case against former President Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Palace issued the statement in response to remarks by former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo, who said the case could lead to a conviction due to what he described as an alleged collusion between the ICC and the current administration.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said complaints related to killings linked to the war on drugs stemmed from incidents that occurred between 2011 and 2019, years that fell within Duterte’s period in office.
Castro emphasized that cases involving allegations of crimes against humanity were filed while Duterte was still serving as president, and before Marcos assumed office in 2022.
She added that if no killings had occurred during those years, there would be no basis for any case currently being handled by the ICC.
According to the Palace, the issue should not be linked to the Marcos administration because the current president was not involved in the decisions or planning connected to the anti-drug campaign under Duterte.
Panelo earlier raised concerns that the ongoing ICC proceedings could result in a conviction, claiming there may have been coordination between the ICC and the present administration.
Malacañang maintained that responsibility for the case’s origins lies in incidents that took place years before the current administration began, reiterating that the timeline of events is central to understanding the legal proceedings now under review by the international tribunal.
