JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday insisted that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction over the Philippines and said the government will not comply with any warrants of arrest that the international body might issue against former President Rodrigo Duterte and other individuals implicated in the deaths and alleged abuses committed in the implementation of the violent drug war of the previous administration.
Remulla made the statement on the eve of the ICC ruling on Manila’s bid to block the resumption of the international court’s investigation into the supposed bloody execution of the campaign.
“Hindi, wala silang gagawin dito. Wala silang kinalaman sa atin dito. Ano gagawin nila? Papasukin nila tayo? Gusto nila pasukin nila tayo na bilang isang kolonya na naman (No, they cannot do anything here. They have nothing to do here. What are they going to do? Invade us? Are they coming here to invade us again)?” he said in a press briefing.
“Ayaw po natin na may ibang bansa na nakikialam sa sistema ng hustisya ng Republika ng Pilipinas. Hindi tayo kolonya. Hindi po tayo teritoryo ng ibang bansa na nais makialam sa atin. Tama na. Malaya tayong bansa na may sariling sistema ng batas (We do not want other countries interfering with the justice system in the Republic of the Philippines. We are not a colony. We are also not a territory of other countries. It’s enough. We are a free country with our own system),” he added.
On Sunday night, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said the ICC is expected to issue summonses or warrants against individuals implicated in the killings and other abuses if it decides to deny the government’s appeal.
“In case our appeal is denied, the ICC prosecutor will be authorized to resume his investigation into the Philippine situation. There is no further appeal available to the Philippine government and depending on the evidence he may be able to gather, the ICC prosecutor may seek the issuance of summonses or warrants of arrest against certain individuals,” Guevarra said.
“These persons who may be indicted will have to engage their own defense counsel, the OSG only represents the state,” he added.
But regardless of the outcome of the appeal, Guevarra said the government will continue to focus on its own investigation and prosecution of alleged abuses in connection with the war on drugs and said it “will defend and assert the sovereignty of the republic at all times.”
But Remulla said the ICC indictment would only be “political” and that if it really wants to hold accountable any individual, then it should turn over its evidence to the government since the Philippines have existing domestic mechanisms to deal with the issue and prosecute any offender.
“Ang sinasabi ko na lang basta may ebidensya na makaturo sa mga taong gusto nilang usigin natin ay ibigay sa atin ang ebidensya at tayo na ang bahala na habulin ang mga taong gumawa ng krimen sa ating bansa (What I’m saying is that if they have evidence pointing to individuals they want to be prosecuted, then give it to us and we will not hesitate to run after those involved in crimes in our country),” he said.
Remulla asked the ICC to respect the country’s sovereignty, its laws, domestic mechanisms and tradition in its zeal to pursue justice.
“May sarili po tayong sistema ng batas, may sarili tayong tradisyon, may sarili tayong kapulisan, may sarili tayong prosecution, ng korte na hindi nila pwedeng pakialaman o kaya balewalain. Yan po ay igalang nila ang ating sovereignty (We have our own laws, our own tradition, our own police force, own prosecution, and courts that they cannot simply disregard. They should respect our sovereignty),” he said.
“Ang aking pakiusap sa kanila ‘wag nila susubukan makialam sa atin (My appeal to them is for them not to interfere with us),” he also said.
The justice secretary said the ICC should probe international crimes committed in countries with no existing mechanism.
