MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated on Thursday his non-acceptance of international jurisdiction over the Philippines’ war on drugs.
Despite not naming any institutions, the International Criminal Court is investigating Duterte’s bloody war on drugs which led to alleged extrajudicial killings.
“They want me to go to prison. Well, maybe. But, it has to be a Philippine prison and I must be judged by a judicial court of the Republic of the Philippines and I must be prosecuted—like me when I was a prosecutor before—kailangan Pilipino ka (you need to be a Filipino),” he said during the Puerto Princesa Port Expansion Project inauguration.
“Ano bang problema nila? Bakit sila pumunta dito? Kaya I will never accept jurisdiction. Mag-ice na ang impyerno, hindi ako papayag sa kalokohan nila,” he added.
(What is their problem? Why did they go here? That’s why I will never accept jurisdiction. Even if hell freezes over, I will not heed to their nonsense.)
The president admitted that the administration has faults.
“Wala naman tayong problema na mayroon tayong mga kasalanan. Admitted man ‘yan either intentionally or unintentionally,” Duterte said.
(We do not have a problem with having mistakes. I admit that either intentionally or unintentionally.)
“Pero ‘yung sa droga, hindi talaga ‘yan sabihin mo sinadya. Pero ‘yung mga ilang drug lords na ni-raid tapos napatay at ‘yung mga mayors, akin ‘yan. ‘Yung mga lahat na raid na namatay, mayor, akin ‘yan. I assume full responsibility,” he added.
(But, in the drug campaign, it is not intentional. But some drug lords and mayors who were killed in drug raids, those are mine. I assume full responsibility.)
The chief executive also protected police personnel and the agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) anew on the drug operations.
“And if there’s anybody who should go to prison, it should not be the police nor the PDEA, it should be me because they were acting upon my orders,” he said.
Moreover, Duterte lashed out at human rights groups again as they failed to see the alleged crimes of supposed drug users.
“Hindi alam ng human rights ‘yan. Walang kaalam-alam ang human rights ‘yung pinuputol ang ulo, nire-rape. ‘Yung iba, hindi na lang nagre-report. But, domestic crimes are abundant in a place where there is a lot of shabu sold,” he said.
(Human rights groups do not know about those executed and raped. Some people do not report.)
“Sabihin ko ito lahat sa mukha nila. Jurisdiction? Ako? Ako haharap ng mga judges na puti? P***** i** nila. Ako? Haharap ako ng Filipino judges, hindi kayo,” Duterte stressed.
(I am telling it all to them. Jurisdiction? Me? I will face white judges? Me? I will face Filipino judges, not them.)
RELATED STORIES
Duterte blasts rights groups for overlooking the ‘other side’ of drug war
Palace says it will exert ‘greater efforts’ to improve PH rule of law