President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr reiterated that his government is not cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC) on their probe to the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
Marcos clarified the issue after Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the Philippine government will neither object nor move to block if Former President Rodrigo Duterte desires to surrender himself to the ICC.
The statement came after Duterte in the House’ Quad Committee hearing said he is ready to be investigated, charged and jailed by the ICC.
Bersamin further said that ” if the ICC refers the process to the International Police (Interpol), which may then transmit a red notice to Philippine authorities then the government will feel obliged to consider it as a request to be honored.”
The Interpol website defines a Red Notice as a “request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action”.
This prompted the media to ask the president if his government is changing its position on ICC’s jurisdiction to the Philippines to which he responded negatively.
“We do not cooperate with the ICC that is the position of this government” Marcos Jr said.
While the president is clear that his government is not cooperating with ICC he however said it has also an obligation to do with the Interpol.
“ As Secretary Remulla explained before, we have obligations to the Interpol . We have to live up to the obligations”. Marcos clarified.
Marcos was asked if that Duterte will be put under the control of the Interpol if a red notice is issued the president however gave an indirect answer.
“ It depends, we will see”. the president further said.
Duterte is under investigation of the ICC after families of individuals who were killed in his drug war lodged complaint before the international tribunal.
Government records show around 6,000 drug suspects were killed during the Duterte’s war on drugs while human rights advocates said the number may reach 30,000 due to unreported incidents.
Abner is an award-winning journalist. He received the prestigious 2015 Titus Brandsma Award for Community Communication in the Philippines and participated in the 2016 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the United States of America, sponsored by the US Embassy in the Philippines. Founder of WATCH NORTH COTABATO, a media-citizens’ transparency group. He worked as a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and CNN Philippines. His experience in broadcasting includes anchoring for Brigada News FM in Kidapawan and General Santos City and Brigada News TV. He anchors Tira Brigada via 105.1 Brigada News FM Manila, Mondays-Saturdays.