Supreme Court chief: No need for foreign interference in drug war probe

Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin on Friday said he does not see a need for foreign interference in the country's affairs, in light of a United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution for an investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs.

Despite initially saying he could not comment on whether or not the resolution was an affront to the Philippines' legal system because he did not have enough information on it, Bersamin appeared to have sided with Malacañang's objection to the Iceland-led resolution.

"Batay doon sa palitan nila Secretary (Salvador) Panelo saka 'yung mga naglabas niyan, mukhang tama nga naman sila Secretary Panelo dahil minority resolution lang 'yan," the chief justice told reporters in a chance interview at the High Court.

"But you know, I am a member of the judiciary and kailangan ipilit kong sabihin sa ngayon [na] wala naman kami nakikitang dapat lamang na manghimasok 'yung tiga-ibang bansa," he added.

"Other than that, hindi na 'ko magsasalita. I cannot be the architect of our foreign affairs," Bersamin said.

The UNHRC resolution, which asked national authorities to prevent extrajudicial killings and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to report back on her findings in a year, was backed by 18 countries and opposed by 14 countries, including the Philippines and China. Fifteen other countries, including Japan, abstained.

But the Duterte administration said the resolution did not get a simple majority of the 47 members of the UNHRC. Panelo said the resolution is an affront to the country’s sovereignty and is designed to embarrass the Philippines before the international community.

The Supreme Court has yet to resolve a case questioning the constitutionality of the Duterte administration's deadly campaign against illegal drugs. The latest known development in the case is an order for government lawyers to release official drug war records to the parties assailing the program.

Meanwhile, critics of the policy have filed communications against Duterte and several of his senior officials in connection with drug war-related killings before the International Criminal Court (ICC), which the Philippines left this year.

Despite the withdrawal, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor has continued its preliminary examination of allegations of crimes against humanity against the President. Duterte has repeatedly insisted the ICC has no jurisdiction over him. — MDM, GMA News