Duterte: International Criminal Court will never have jurisdiction over me
Duterte said he would question the basis of the ICC for investigating his anti-drug campaign, which has left more than 3,000 suspected drug offenders dead. KJ Rosales
MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte is confident that the International Criminal Court (ICC) will “never never never” have jurisdiction over him, as he hinted that he might take a course of action to prevent it from probing his controversial war on illegal drugs.
Duterte said he would question the basis of the ICC for investigating his anti-drug campaign, which has left more than 3,000 suspected drug offenders dead.
“You know, I’d like to give you an assurance. They want me haled before the ICC. I do not want to tell it right now but they will never, never never acquire jurisdiction over my person,” the President said during a local festival in Tarlac yesterday.
“Why? I won’t tell you but when the time comes, I tell you, if they summon me, (I will ask them) what power do you summon? Do you have jurisdiction over all of these cases? Assuming it is true, do you have jurisdiction over me?” he added.
Last month, the ICC announced that it would begin its preliminary examination on the killings associated with Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.
The ICC responded to a communication by Jude Sabio, lawyer of Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed hit man of the so-called Davao death squad.
Matobato has claimed that a vigilante group was used by Duterte to kill criminals in Davao City, where the President served as mayor for more than 20 years.
Sabio accused Duterte of ordering the killing of about 1,400 people in Davao City and 7,000 drug suspects nationwide.
Duterte reiterated that the drug war would continue despite claims that it encouraged extrajudicial killings.
“It won’t end despite or in spite of the threats of ICC and everything. I don’t care about them,” the President said.
“I’m here to protect my country, I believe that if I stop this crusade, it would have compromised the country and the next generation. Then it would have been my failure in my time,” he added.
Duterte also refuted allegations that only the poor are being killed in the drug war, noting that two mayors have been killed because of their ties with narcotics syndicates.
He also cited the case of dismissed Iloilo City mayor Jed Mabilog, one of the local executives accused of protecting drug lords. Duterte said Mabilog chose not to return to the Philippines for fear of being killed.
“He did not return home because I will really kill him,” the President said.
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