Duterte: US attack on ICC ‘refreshing to us’

President Rodrigo Duterte leads the 12th Activation Anniversary of the Mechanized Infantry Division at the Camp O’Donnell in Capas, Tarlac on September 20, 2018. NESTOR CORRALES/INQUIRER.net

CAPAS, Tarlac – President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday cheered the United States after Washington’s National Security Adviser John Bolton accused the International Criminal Court (ICC) of being “ineffective, unaccountable and indeed outright dangerous.”

Duterte, in a speech before military troops at the Camp O’Donnell here, said the “timely word of Bolton” was “quite refreshing.”

“That’s why it is good that there is international pressure against ICC because Bolton cursed them,” the President said.

“The timely word of Bolton now is quite refreshing to us lalo na ako ‘yung pinakamaingay. Binastos ko sila. Binabastos nila tayo eh. I only bow to the Filipino people. I will not bow to anybody,” he added.

READ: US nat’l security adviser: International Criminal Court ‘already dead to us’

Duterte has repeatedly slammed the ICC for launching an investigation against his brutal war against illegal drugs.

“If you would notice hindi naman ako nagyayabang, tayo ‘yung una, hindi lang ako pumayag, binullshit ko sabi ko p…..i.. ninyo,” he said, eliciting applause from the military.

“I said do not fuck with my country. Mas marunong pa kayo kung anong gawin sa problema [namin],” he added.

READ: US threatens to arrest ICC judges who probe war crimes

In March, the Philippines withdrew from the ICC due to “baseless” accusations against him by UN officials, and alleged violations on due process by The Hague-based ICC.

Speaking at the graduation rites at the Philippine Military Academy in March, Mr. Duterte urged governments to withdraw from the ICC saying the tribunal — which is examining charges of crimes against humanity filed against him over the thousands of killings in his war on drugs — is “rude.”

READ: Duterte to nations: Pull out from ICC

He called the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, “bullshit.”

Although the Senate ratified the Rome Statute, Mr. Duterte said the treaty was never enforced in the Philippines because it was not published in the government’s Official Gazette, as required by law.

“You know, if it’s not published, there is no law,” he said.

Due to that flaw, he said the ICC could never have jurisdiction over him, “not in a million years.” With a background report from PDI/kga