Marcos won’t hand over Duterte to ICC

Despite their complicated relationship, President Marcos said he still would not hand over former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the country’s judiciary and law enforcement remain robust.

Marcos said this amid the country’s call for international rules-based order despite its continued resistance to the ICC’S investigation into Duterte’s drug war.

In an interview with Manila-based foreign media reporters, the President was firm in saying that he would not hand over his predecessor to ICC investigators.

“That’s a no,” he said on Monday, April 15, when asked if he would turn over his predecessor to the ICC. “We don’t recognize the warrant that they will send to us.”

According to Marcos, the ICC can only assume jurisdiction over a country if it has no working judicial system or a police force that is not functioning.

“That is the reason why we are saying we are well within the rules. It is their rule. It is the rule of the ICC that they come in when there is no judiciary, they come in when there is no police force,” he said.

“We have a judiciary. The former chief justice [Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin] is sitting right here, he will explain to you how healthy and robust and how active the judiciary is. The police force, I think, is the same thing,” he added. “So, that is the reason. We are well within international law when we take the position of not recognizing the jurisdiction of ICC in the Philippines,” he continued.

Asked about his relationship with the Dutertes, the President has two words.

“It’s complicated,” he said. The former president has been vocal about his disdain for President Marcos and his policy, particularly about Charter change and the South China Sea.

Marcos had already brushed off Duterte’s tirades, saying he just ignores him and that the latter’s ad hominem attacks have no place in serious discussions such as foreign policy.

On Monday, the President said his relationship with Vice President Sara Duterte, his predecessor’s daughter, remains the same.