Vice President Sara Duterte of the Philippines has expressed her firm stance that the government should not engage with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into the controversial drug war initiated under her father’s administration.
This declaration aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recent statement that the Philippines is contemplating rejoining the ICC. While Duterte acknowledges Marcos’ authority over foreign policy, she maintains her position and plans to discuss the legal basis of her stance with the Department of Justice.
Duterte, emphasizing her inability to speak on behalf of the president, directs inquiries about Marcos’ changed perspective on the ICC to him directly. In 2022, Marcos had deemed the ICC’s probe a threat to national sovereignty, asserting that the court lacked jurisdiction over the Philippines