Transcript: Statement by Vice President Sara Duterte Regarding an ICC Probe
Vice President Sara Duterte's statement posted on Facebook calls to respect President Marcos Jr.'s decision to oppose any investigation from the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing unconstitutionality and undermining of Philippine legal institutions.
STATEMENT BY VICE PRESIDENT SARA Z. DUTERTE
In light of the sudden and unannounced joint meetings being convened in the House of Representatives regarding the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) jurisdiction over our country, I respectfully remind our honorable lawmakers of the very words that our President, His Excellency Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. reiterated less than half a year ago:
“Any probe conducted by the ICC would be an intrusion into our internal matters, and a threat to our sovereignty… We are done talking with the ICC. Like what we have been saying from the beginning, we will not cooperate with them in any way, shape, or form.”
Given this clear standpoint, we urge the House to respect the position of the President, who is the chief architect of our foreign policy. The President has likewise affirmed that his opinion is based on the fact that the ICC ceased to have jurisdiction over the Philippines upon the effectivity of our withdrawal from the Rome Statute on March 17, 2019.
To allow ICC prosecutors to investigate alleged crimes that are now under the exclusive jurisdiction of our prosecutors and our Courts is not only patently unconstitutional but effectively belittles and degrades our legal institutions.
Huwag nating insultuhin at bigyan ng kahihiyan ang ating mga hukuman sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakita sa mundo na tayo ay naniniwala na mga dayuhan lang ang tanging may abilidad na magbigay ng katarungan at hustisya sa ating sariling bayan.
Shukran.
Sara Z. Duterte
Vice President of the Philippines
Secretary of the Department of Education