By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. never betrayed former president Rodrigo Duterte but gave his predecessor the opportunity to defend himself in the crimes against humanity charges he is facing before the International Criminal Court (ICC), Malacañang said Tuesday.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro refuted claims that Marcos was a traitor for allowing Duterte’s arrest, reiterating that the government merely honored its commitments to International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
Castro issued the statement in a Palace press briefing, after some overseas Filipino workers expressed disappointment over Marcos’ decision to allow the implementation of ICC’s arrest warrant against Duterte.
“Hindi po pagtatraydor, kung tayo man po ang kapwa nating Filipino na siyang nagrereklamo ng madugong pagkitil ng buhay, eh mabibigyan din po ng hustisya kung madidinig po ang panig ng dating Pangulong Duterte (It is not treason, if our fellow Filipinos who are complaining about the bloody killing of lives, will get the justice, if the side of former President Duterte is heard),” she said.
“May pagtatraydor din po ba kung mismo tayo ay nagbibigay ng tiyansa para ma-enjoy ni dating Pangulong Duterte iyong due process na ipinagkait niya sa mga biktima ng EJK (Is there also treason, if we ourselves give former President Duterte the opportunity to enjoy the due process that he denied to the victims of EJK),” Castro added.
Castro said there will be repercussions, if the Philippine government would not cooperate with the Interpol.
“Hindi naman po ang konsiderasyon dito ay pagiging miyempro ng ICC. Ang konsiderasyon pong ibinibigay natin diyo ay pakikipag-cooperate po sa Interpol (The consideration here is not being a member of the ICC. The consideration we are giving is cooperating with Interpo),” she said.
Duterte was the subject of an arrest warrant by the ICC over the alleged crimes against humanity committed due to his drug war carried out between Nov. 1, 2011 and March 16, 2019 during his time as Davao City mayor and then Philippine president.
He arrived in The Hague in the Netherlands on March 12 and was turned over to the ICC Detention Center in Scheveningen.
The ICC scheduled the next hearing to confirm Duterte’s charges for Sept. 23. (PNA)
