Pulong Duterte replies to comments by DILG's Remulla on his ICC claims

Davao City lawmaker Paolo “Pulong” Duterte on Thursday night dared Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to a drug test after the official questioned his claim that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued warrants of arrest against Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and two former police officers.

Duterte challenged Remulla to undergo a follicle drug test with him, as well as President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., and members of the First Family.

Remulla said government authorities have not received any information or document indicating that a warrant has been issued by the ICC.

He added that the congressman must have been high when he made the remarks regarding the ICC warrant.

"Ako pa talaga ang sinabihan mong 'high' at 'sabog,' Secretary Jonvic Remulla? Ako? O baka nagkamali ka lang ng tinutumbok at ang gusto mo talagang sabihin ay iyong mga nasa Malacañang?" said Duterte in a social media post.

(Is it really me you called "high," Secretary Jonvic Remulla? Me? Or maybe you just made the wrong point, and what you really meant was those in Malacañang?)

"Kung gusto mo talagang malaman kung sino ang "high" at sino ang "sabog," simple lang naman ang solusyon. Magpa-hair follicle drug test tayo. Sama mo na ang boss mo at asawa't anak niya. Para isang testing na lang, tapos ang usapan," he added.

(If you really want to know who is "high" and who is "drunk," the solution is simple. Let's do a hair follicle drug test. Bring your boss, his wife, and children with you. Just one test, and the conversation is over.)

Pulong Duterte, the son of the detained former president Rodrigo Duterte, said that a “highly reliable source” gave him the information that warrants of arrest have been issued.

The elder Duterte is facing crimes against humanity charges before the ICC for the killings under his war on drugs.

“Wala na ba talagang katapusan ang administrasyong ito sa paggamit ng ICC bilang political weapon laban sa kanilang mga kalaban?” said Paolo in a Facebook post.

(Is there really no end to this administration's use of the ICC as a political weapon against its political rivals?)

Earlier, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro also reacted to the lawmaker's claim, saying that the International Criminal Court (ICC) is not being used as a political weapon, noting that it was a Filipino citizen who filed the case against the alleged abuses committed by the Duterte administration on its war on drugs almost ten years ago.

"Unang-una alam naman natin ang ICC korte po ito at meron namang kaso. May kaso na kapwa nating Pilipino ang nagsampa laban sa mga diumanong pang-aabuso patungkol sa EJK (extra-judicial killing). So huwag natin kalimutan 'yan. Pilipino rin po ang nagsampa ng kaso," Castro said in an interview.

(First of all, we know that this is the ICC court and there is a case. There is a case that a fellow Filipino filed against the alleged abuses regarding the EJK. So let's not forget that. A Filipino filed the case.)

She added that if a valid warrant of arrest is issued, this is valid as the ICC wants someone to be held accountable. — BAP, GMA News