MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Imee Marcos criticized the decision of the International Criminal Court to confirm charges against former president Rodrigo Duterte and commit him to trial.
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I unanimously confirmed all charges against Duterte, consisting of three counts of crimes against humanity, and ordered that he stand trial before a Trial Chamber.
In a statement issued Thursday, Marcos said the ICC’s action “once again raises serious concerns about selectivity and fairness in the exercise of international justice.”
“It is difficult to ignore the perception that cases are pursued more aggressively against smaller or less influential states, while more powerful nations remain beyond its reach,” she said.
Marcos also raised concerns about how Duterte was handled domestically.
“Equally troubling is the manner by which former President Rodrigo Duterte was dealt with domestically,” she added.
She warned that “any action that appears to sidestep constitutional safeguards in order to achieve political ends diminishes public trust in our institutions and weakens the rule of law.”
A known ally of Duterte, Marcos had earlier expressed disappointment over the ICC’s assertion of jurisdiction over the case.
“This determination disregards the Philippines’ sovereign withdrawal from the Rome Statute,” she said.
In its ruling, Pre-Trial Chamber I said there are substantial grounds to believe Duterte is responsible for crimes against humanity, specifically murder and attempted murder, under the Rome Statute.
“These crimes were committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population on the territory of the Republic of the Philippines between November 1, 2011 and March 16, 2019, in the context of the ‘war on drugs’ campaign,” the ICC said.
The chamber based its decision on evidence and arguments presented by both the prosecution and defense during the confirmation of charges hearings held from February 23 to 27, as well as documents submitted by victims’ families.
