Marcos says Philippines will not ‘lift a finger’ to help ICC’s probe into Duterte’s drug war

President Marcos Jnr said the investigation into the brutal anti-narcotics campaign was a ‘threat’ to Manila’s sovereignty

Rights groups say thousands of drug users and peddlers were gunned down during the crackdown overseen by former leader Duterte

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 2:45pm, 23 Jan 2024

The Philippine government will not cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into a brutal anti-narcotics campaign, President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said on Tuesday.

“I consider it as a threat to our sovereignty. Therefore, the Philippine government will not lift a finger to help any investigation that the ICC conducts,” Marcos told reporters, reiterating his earlier position.

The ICC in July rejected an appeal by Manila and allowed an investigation to resume into the thousands of killings during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs and other suspected rights abuses.

Marcos said ICC investigators can come and visit “as ordinary people” but the government will not assist them.

Marcos’ remarks followed a statement made by his justice minister who last week told Kyodo News the government may allow an ICC probe if legal procedures were followed, a move which Duterte’s camp maintained was illegal.