ICC jurisdiction on drug war needs review – Remulla

MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday said the government needs to review the jurisprudence on the issues of jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court before it can take action on the latest call for the government to cooperate in the ICC’s investigation into the drug war killings under the Duterte administration.

His remarks were in response to the resolution filed by Makabayan bloc lawmakers urging the Marcos administration to support the ICC’s probe, especially after former president Rodrigo Duterte publicly admitted to bankrolling the killing sprees in Davao City when he was still mayor with confidential and intelligence funds.

Remulla said the government will also need to examine and study the records of Congress on the basis of the resolution.

While the DOJ remains firm in its stance that the Philippines will not cooperate with the ICC probe on the grounds that the country has a working justice system, Remulla said the government must study the matter thoroughly.

Asked what will happen if ICC prosecutors enter the country to pursue their investigation, Remulla said there is no clear mechanism to deal with the issue, considering that the Philippines is no longer a member of the Rome Statute.

“We will reason that we have a working justice system and we’re no longer members so why would they need to come in? So that’s why this issue has to be clear to all,” he said.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra told reporters in a text message that the Philippines maintains its position that the ICC can no longer exercise jurisdiction over the country after withdrawal from the Rome Statute.

In July, Remulla said the DOJ will not allow ICC investigators to gather evidence on Philippine soil.

After the ICC junked the government’s appeal against the resumption of the drug war probe, President Marcos has given the go-signal for the Philippine government to disengage from the permanent court.

In his show on the SMNI network, former president Duterte admitted he used the intelligence funds allocated to Davao City to “have (them) killed,” referring to extrajudicial killings carried out by the infamous Davao Death Squad.

Former senator Antonio Trillanes earlier said that a copy of the video has been sent to the ICC as additional evidence. The video with the interview, which was posted on YouTube, is no longer available on SMNI’s channel.

Duterte’s remarks were delivered during his tirade about the House of Representatives’ decision to reallocate the confidential funds sought by his daughter, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, to agencies focused on the defense of the West Philippine Sea.