Palace insists Duterte still human rights protector

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte and his government continue to protect human rights, Malacañang officials insisted yesterday, highlighting the Supreme Court (SC)’s ruling over the Chief Executive’s prerogative to pull the Philippines from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar and presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. again asserted that the President has not want only violated human rights, contrary to claims of critics.

They maintained that the SC ruling affirmed Duterte’s power as chief architect of the country’s foreign policy and international engagements.

“President Duterte, well within his capacity, upheld our sovereignty by withdrawing from the ICC who insists on getting involved with our nation’s affairs and hindering our collective progress in securing the safety of our country from societal ills,” Andanar said.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, however, said the SC still recognized the “limitations” of the President’s authority in the crafting of foreign policy. Drilon was among the senators who petitioned the tribunal in 2018 to declare the country’s move as ineffective.

But Andanar and Roque joined chief presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo in hailing the SC decision. “We welcome the just and fair ruling of the Supreme Court that dismissed petitions questioning the Philippine government’s unilateral withdrawal from the International Criminal Court,” Andanar said.

The SC on Tuesday junked petitions questioning the Philippine government’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute.

“We assert that the government, under the leadership and through the strong political will of President Duterte, continues to uphold and respect human rights and the rule of law while aiming to eradicate criminality,” Andanar added.

He also underscored the functioning legal and judicial systems and “our constant engagements with different independent and international organizations are a testament that this government is committed to protecting and championing human rights.”

He described the SC’s decision as “a manifestation of President Duterte’s prerogative to act as the chief architect of the country’s foreign policy.”

Roque reiterated this and said the SC did not only rule on the mootness of the case.

“Having said this, we call on the ICC not to waste time and resources on investigations that will not prosper as we do not recognize ICC jurisdiction over the Philippines, as well as in the face of uncontroverted proof that domestic legal and judicial processes are functioning normally in our country,” he said.