Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (File photo/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines – Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Thursday said there’s no longer a need for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to look into the alleged human rights violations in the country, claiming that most of the nations investigated by the international tribunal are “lawless countries with crimes.”
“Umiiral po ang demokrasya sa atin. Kadalasan po ang mga iniimbestigahan ng ICC ay ‘yun po ang mga lawless countries na may krimen na nangyayari – e wala namang pong diktador dito sa ating bansa. Pilipino na po ang humusga,” said Go in an ambush interview.
(Democracy exists here. Most of the time, those investigated by the ICC are lawless countries where crimes are committed – and there is no dictator here in our country. Let Filipinos judge and decide.)
Go, who served as a special assistant to former president Rodrigo Duterte when the latter was still in office, aired his statement amid calls for the Philippine government to cooperate with the ICC’s probe into the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.
In the same interview, Go defended his fellow lawmaker – Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa who was among those mentioned in the crimes against humanity complaint before the ICC.
Dela Rosa was the chief implementer of Duterte’s anti-drug war campaign, but for Go, the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief was only carrying out his sworn duty.
“Sinusuportahan po namin si Senator Bato, bilang kapartido at kasamahan sa Senado. Dahil naniniwala po ako na ginampanan lamang ni Senator Bato ang kanyang tungkulin bilang chief PNP noong panahon ni Pangulong Duterte,” said Go.
(We support Senator Bato, as a party member and colleague in the Senate. Because I believe that Senator Bato only fulfilled his role as PNP chief during the time of President Duterte.)
Go likewise stressed that Duterte must be accorded due respect should the former President decide to make an appearance on congressional hearings, given that it transpire in both chambers of the Congress.
“Ah syempre. Ibigay natin sa kanya what is due to our former president dahil [siya] ay nagtrabaho po para sa ating bayan. Ang sabi ko ay Pilipino po ang dapat humusga sa kanya at hindi po banyaga, Pilipino po ang dapat humusga,” said Go.
(Of course. Let’s give him what is due to our former president because [he] worked for and served the people. Filipinos should judge him and not foreigners, Filipinos should judge him.)