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Dodging ICC probe to affect Philippines' image to investors —Rep. Castro


The Philippines will have a hard time wooing foreign investors if the government would continue to dodge the International Criminal Court's (ICC) probe into the Duterte administration's drug war, an opposition lawmaker said Thursday.

"The President is going on foreign trips supposedly to woo investors, pero paano magtitiwala ang ibang bansa kung tila may pinagtatakpan silang kaso kaugnay ng war on drugs?" House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro said at a press briefing.

(How can other countries trust us when we are apparently covering up those who should be held liable in these drug war deaths?)

Castro, a member of the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives, was reacting to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile's comment that he would have ICC probers arrested if they come to the Philippines for their investigation.

JPE's remark

Enrile made the comment after the ICC decided to reopen its inquiry on drug war deaths in the Philippines because it was not convinced that the Philippine government "is undertaking relevant investigations that would warrant a deferral of the court's investigations."

Castro said Enrile will have no basis to arrest the ICC investigators if ever they arrive in the country.

In an interview, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said such remark puts the Philippines in a bad light.

"Alam mo nakakasama sa imahe rin ng bansa 'yan e... Kung marinig nila sa abroad 'yan, ang Pilipinas rule of the jungle ba 'yan? Dapat rule of law po tayo," Pimentel told Senate reporters.

(You know, it puts the Philippines in a bad light. If they hear that abroad, they will say that the Philippines has no rule of law.)

In order for an arrest to be made in the Philippines, "[t]here should be a legal basis, violation of a penal law," added Pimentel, a lawyer.

Justice system

Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel, who is also a member of the Makabayan bloc, said although the country's justice system is working, it is not "responsive" enough to cover the brains behind the bloody drug war.

"Our justice system is working, but it is not responsive. Iyong lamang mga pulis sa baba ang nakakasuhan," Manuel said in the same press briefing.

(Only those occupying low-level posts are being charged over these deaths.)

Castro, meanwhile, noted that President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., when he was senator, was a signatory in the ratification of the Rome Statute, which established the ICC.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte, in March 2018, announced the Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC.  The withdrawal came after the ICC announced that it will investigate the drug war deaths during police operations under his presidency.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra earlier said the Philippine government  intends to appeal the resumption of ICC inquiry.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, on the other hand, has described the investigation as "unwelcome" and an "irritant."

The Philippine National Police (PNP), meanwhile, called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to respect the sovereignty of the Philippines and acknowledge its justice system.

Duterte, for his part, maintained that his administration had to carry out the campaign against illegal drugs to fulfill his sworn duty to protect the Filipinos. —with Hana Bordey/KBK, GMA Integrated News

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