Duterte on ICC findings: Kung makulong, eh di makulong

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday night expressed a readiness to go to jail over the findings of the International Criminal Court's Office of the Prosecutor that there was basis to believe that crimes against humanity were committed in his war on drugs.

By way of answering former Senator Antonio Trillanes' statements on Twitter, Duterte said he would go to prison if it was his destiny.

"Ba't mo ako takutin na mag-preso? If it's my destiny magpreso ako then magpreso ako," Duterte said in a televised briefing.

"Kung may ginawa kami, sige. Kung makulong, eh 'di makulong," he added.

Trillanes said on Twitter that the time for reckoning was near for Duterte, "his cohorts and his enablers."

"Duterte may try to ignore the jurisdiction of ICC over him but deep inside, he knows that he cannot get away from this one," Trillanes said.

In response to the statement, the president said the former senator reminded him of “dog shit.”

“Trillanes alam mo pag nakita ko yung pangalan mo nakikita ko tae ng aso. Everytime I look at you, you’re shit of a dog,” Duterte said.

In its latest report, the ICC's Office of the Prosecutor said that there is "reasonable basis" to believe that crimes against humanity were committed in the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

'Encouraged killing'

The international tribunal, which prosecutes individuals, focused its preliminary examination on the allegations that Duterte and law enforcement officials "have actively promoted and encouraged the killing of suspected or purported drug users and/or dealers."

The administration hit back at the report, with Malacañang calling it "legally erroneous"  and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency accusing the opposition of providing the court with the wrong data.

"[K]ung dito talaga kinukuha ang data na 'yan eh how come na 91% ang approval rating ni Presidente and how come eight out of ten Filipinos approved the war on drugs of the President?" PDEA chief Wilkins Villanueva queried.

The Commission on Human Rights, however, said that the government should address the ICC's findings, and called for "greater transparency and accountability from the government in the movement towards providing redress for cases of human rights violations."

The ICC began its preliminary examination after lawyer Jude Sabio filed a communication against Duterte alleging crimes against humanity in connection with his bloody war on drugs.

Weeks later, Duterte announced the Philippines was withdrawing from the ICC, a move that was challenged by opposition senators before the Supreme Court. The exit took effect in March 2019 but the preliminary examination continued.

It was reported early this year that Sabio withdrew his communication, but the ICC said such an action would have no impact in the ongoing preliminary examination.

The ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, aims to finish the preliminary examination in the first half of 2021.

At Wednesday's briefing, Duterte also cursed at the ICC, saying that the court was not prepared for the situation.

“[G]inagawa ko na lahat, nagkakaso-kaso na nga ako diyan sa International Court of Justice [sic] na akala naman nitong ulol, isa din. Walang preparasyon, hindi nagbabasa ang mga gago,” he said.

He also brought up Trillanes' allegedly linking him and his family to the illegal drug trade, something the former senator had already denied.

“Tapos sabi niya tuturo dito, drug lord dito, drug lord doon. Pati ‘yung anak ko na maliit, dalagita. Anong nangyari? Wala, ni isa. May napakulong ka ba Trillanes? Sino, sino napakulong mo? Nandiyan pa rin sila,” he said.

“Ako, wala akong pinakulong pero wala na sila. Ikaw, daldal, nandiyan pa sila. Ako, nagdadaldal tapos wala na sila. Ewan ko kung saan pumunta ang mga p—ng inang ‘yan,” he added.

Duterte also told the public not to trust the opposition, saying that they aimed to paint him in a bad light.

“Wag kayong maniwala diyan sa opposition. Walang ginawa ‘yan, gusto lang ‘yan bumalik kasi kung maari lang ibigay ko na lang para hindi na sisirain ang Pilipino, hidni na tayo masira. Ibigay ko na lang,” he said.

“Tama ang sabi ni Bong [Go], if you want to appear white, you paint the other person black. Pinturahan mo ng itim at ika’y puputi… ‘Yan ang ginagawa nila. Pinipinturahan kami ng itim para bumango sila, maputi sila,” he said. —NB/BM, GMA News