MANILA – Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced on Thursday that his administration would not obstruct former President Rodrigo Duterte if he chooses to engage with an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into alleged crimes against humanity related to his anti-drug campaign. While the Philippines will not actively cooperate with the ICC, Marcos noted that the country remains bound by commitments with Interpol.
“If that’s what Duterte wants, we will not block it. It’s his decision,” Marcos said in a statement, adding that any testimony provided by Duterte would be subject to legal review.
The comments come following a congressional hearing where Duterte, who served from 2016 to 2022, defended his campaign, expressing willingness for the ICC to investigate but remaining unrepentant. During his term, the former president withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019 after it initiated a preliminary examination into the alleged extrajudicial killings tied to his drug war. Official records state that 6,200 suspects died in police operations, though human rights groups estimate the actual toll to be significantly higher.
Authorities at the time attributed additional deaths to vigilante actions and criminal rivalries. Human rights groups, however, allege systematic police cover-ups and unlawful killings, accusations which law enforcement agencies have consistently denied.