PBBM: De Lima acquittal proves we don’t need ICC

FILE: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is home from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday (Oct. 21, 2023) after attending the inaugural Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit. (Photo: Alfred Frias via Philippine News Agency/Facebook)

MANILA – Former senator Leila de Lima’s acquittal from her drug charges is proof that the justice system of the Philippines is working and the country does not need the intervention of the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Thursday.

Marcos made the pronouncement after the Muntinlupa City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 206 cleared De Lima of the third and last charge of the series of drug-related cases filed against her in 2017.

In a media interview, Marcos said the court’s decision proved that the Philippines judiciary is functioning.

“Well, maybe this is something we should show the ICC. The judiciary is working properly, our investigative services are working properly,” Marcos said.

“Former Sen. De Lima has been acquitted. I don’t know what further comments there could be. Dumaan siya sa paghusga, na-acquit siya (She went through the process, and then got acquitted),” he stressed.

The ICC has been investigating alleged crimes against humanity under the controversial drug war of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

But Marcos said the Philippine government will not cooperate with the ICC, stressing that the international court has no jurisdiction over the country following its formal departure from the statute in March 2019.

The President said the country’s stand remains.

“We still stay with our position that the ICC had no jurisdiction in the Philippines because we have a working police force, we have a working judiciary, and do not require any assistance in that regard,” he said.