GMA’s pitch for Duterte, timely proper, admirable

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who previously served as Senator and Speaker of the House of Representatives, currently House Deputy Speaker, and 2nd District of Pampanga, made a timely, proper, and admirable clarion call to her colleagues in Congress to make an “unequivocal defense” of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in the face of the intransigent, unlawful and relentless attempts of the International Criminal Court to acquire jurisdiction over the Philippines in connection with alleged crimes against humanity arising from extrajudicial killings in the war against illegal drugs allegedly committed during the latter’s presidency and mayorship in Davao City.

FPGMA, together with the other representatives from Pampanga, namely, Carmelo Lazatin, Aurelio Gonzales, and Anna York Bondoc, filed House Resolution 780 or “A Resolution In Defense of Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,16th President of the Republic of the Philippines, Against Investigation and/ or Prosecution by the International Criminal Court.”

Stressing the unquestionable robust functioning of the independent judicial system in the country, a position that this writer, as former Presidential Spokesperson of President Duterte, espoused and articulated in press briefings and various fora, and reiterated the fact that the Philippines has since withdrawn its membership from the ICC, which was advised by this columnist to FPRRD as his Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, GMA urged the lawmakers to “hold the line “in defending her presidential successor.

In her house resolution, FPGMA acknowledged the fact that FPRRD was convinced that the way to laying the foundation for growth and prosperity was in cutting off the tentacles of illegal drugs, corruption, and all other forms of criminality. She likewise conceded that the sale and distribution of prohibited drugs were so extensive that the drug menace had invaded the majority of the barangays and had not spared even high-ranking police officers and local officials who could not resist the lure of instant wealth.

FPGMA accepted the glowing fact that former President Duterte initiated radical reforms in all aspects of governance and pursued a vigorous and relentless warfare against illegal drug trafficking, corruption, insurgency, terrorism, and criminality that reaped tangible and outstanding achievements earning him an astonishing and unprecedented excellent trust and approval rating from a grateful Filipino nation.

The persistence of the ICC and its vexing attempts to insist on its jurisdiction when there is none must screech to a halt. It cannot go on ad infinitum. The government must assert its independence and put a stop to such intransigence. Some sinister forces are goading it to run after FPRRD and in the process assaulting our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Some naive officials of the government keep on communicating with the ICC even contradicting the official government’s position that it has no jurisdiction over our country nor its citizens by officially requesting suspension of the investigation of its Special Prosecutor on the imagined crimes against humanity, and appealing its denial of its suspension request for its reconsideration.

Such action is lending support to the ICC’s theory that it has jurisdiction because the aforecited official acts run counter to our repeated invocation of the

ICC’s absence of jurisdiction, and the same is incredibly fatuous.

It’s a good thing FPGMA filed that redeeming measure to counter the aforementioned dim-witted moves by certain government functionaries. The aforesaid house resolution when passed by the House of Representatives will strongly convey a message to the ICC that the lower chamber of Congress is behind FPRRD and will reinforce our official position, somehow diminished by contradicting government action, that ICC has no jurisdiction over us.

It is hoped that a similar resolution from the Senate is forthcoming, which when approved would make the second branch of the government go with the overwhelming sentiment of the Filipino people in support of the maverick well-loved former President. The detractors of FPRRD should go beyond their prejudices and view the incorrigible strive of the ICC as an assault against our sovereignty and make a unified stand against such brazen interference with our independence.

“It’s a good thing FPGMA filed that redeeming measure to counter the aforementioned dim-witted moves by certain government functionaries.

“The persistence of the ICC and its vexing attempts to insist on its jurisdiction when there is none must screech to a halt.