Duterte to ICC: ‘War on drugs will not stop’

FILE: President Rodrigo Duterte (JOEY DALUMPINES/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

President Rodrigo Duterte told the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday that his fight against illegal drugs will not stop until he steps down as the President of the Philippines despite the communication filed against him at the international court.

“Drugs, I like to address myself to the International Court of Justice and to the Prosecutors coming here to investigate. The war or the drive against drugs will not stop. And it will last until the day I step out,” he said.

“If I go to prison, I go to prison. If you want to execute me, look for a country that allows prisoners to be executed by firing squad. Doon ako (I’ll be there),” he added.

The President made this remark after the decision of The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) to conduct its preliminary examination on the alleged extra-judicial killings related to President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign to suppress the narcotics problem in the Philippines.

Earlier, he had also said that he is unfazed by the action of the International Court.

The ICC’s action stemmed from a communication filed by lawyer Jude Sabio, who is the counsel of hitman Edgar Matobato against President Rodrigo Duterte and 11 other government officials before the ICC, where Duterte was accused of being a “mass murderer.” The complaint also seeks to bring a suit against Duterte for “the terrifying and gruesome situation of continuing mass murder in the Philippines.”

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said in a statement that the administration is confident that the proceedings will not go beyond the preliminary examination.

He added that the ICC’s launching of preliminary examination is an opportunity to prove that the case is not subject to the court’s jurisdiction.

“This is an opportunity for him to prove that this is not subject to the court’s jurisdiction because of both complementarity that domestic courts; and the fact that we have a domestic international humanitarian law statute in our jurisdiction are reasons enough for the court not to exercise jurisdiction,” he said.