In the anti-drug campaign launched by Duterte in 2016 and continued under the leadership of Marcos Jnr. hundreds of individuals died.
Asked on Monday whether he would hand over Duterte – who has accused him of drug addiction and criticized his policies – to the ICC if it issues an arrest warrant, Marcos Jnr replied “no”.
“We do not recognize the order they will send us. It’s not,” he said at the Foreign Correspondents’ Association of the Philippines.
“By taking the position of not recognizing the jurisdiction of the ICC in the Philippines, we are within the bounds of international law,” Marcos Jnr said.
It launched a proper investigation into the Duterte crackdown in September 2021, only to suspend it two months later after Manila said it was re-investigating several hundred cases of drug operations that led to deaths by the hands of police, killers and vigilantes .
The ICC’s chief prosecutor later asked for the investigation to be reopened, and pre-trial judges on the court finally gave the green light in late January last yr – a call that Manila appealed shortly thereafter and lost.
According to official figures released by the Philippines, greater than 6,000 people have been killed in Duterte’s anti-drug operations. ICC prosecutors estimate the death toll at 12,000–30,000.
The drug war continued under Marcos Jnr, whilst he pushed for greater emphasis on prevention and rehabilitation.
Marcos Jnr has repeatedly ruled out rejoining the ICC and insisted it has no jurisdiction within the country because of the prevailing judicial system.
Relations between the Marcos and Duterte families have deteriorated over the past two years.
His vice-presidential running mate, Sara Duterte, the previous president’s daughter, helped him gain vital support from his home island of Mindanao.
There have been very public conflicts between the families in recent months as they’ve begun to strengthen their rivals’ support base and secure key positions ahead of the 2025 midterm elections and 2028 presidential elections.
Duterte and Marcos Jr. accuse one another of drug abuse, while Duterte has previously called for the separation of his home island of Mindanao from the remaining of the country.
When asked to explain his current relationship with the Duterte family, Marcos Jnr said “it’s complicated” before laughing with the audience.
