MANILA, (PIA) — A top government spokesperson said Friday that the current administration’s justice system is functioning effectively, in remarks that referenced the International Criminal Court (ICC) case against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro made the comments during a press conference at the Philippine Information Agency, where she highlighted the administration’s ongoing initiatives to combat illegal drugs.
“Now we can see how the administration works,” Castro said in Filipino. “It may just be coincidental that there is a case at the ICC because justice is working for other people. It may just be coincidental that the justice that should have been achieved in the war on drugs was not achieved during former President Duterte’s time.”
Attorney Joel Butuyan, an ICC-accredited lawyer who joined the briefing, addressed key issues regarding the arrest warrant issued for Duterte.
Butuyan explained that the warrant is based on two legal grounds: Republic Act 9851 and Article 59 of the Rome Statute.
The ICC has been investigating allegations of crimes against humanity in connection with Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, which human rights groups claim resulted in thousands of extrajudicial killings during his 2016-2022 presidency. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
