Remulla: ICC ‘drug war’ probe only discussed briefly in meeting with EU solons

FILE PHOTO: Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla. (Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — The “drug war” investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) was only briefly discussed during the meeting between members of the European Union’s (EU) Subcommittee on Human Rights and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

According to Remulla, the talk on the ICC investigation of the Duterte administration’s war on drugs took only around three minutes.

READ: ICC resumes probe on PH’s drug war

“Ang sabi ko lang doon, inaayos na rin namin ang sistema. Kung may problema talaga ang ICC na gustong imbestigahan dito, ibigay na lang sa amin. These are crimes committed in the Philippines by Filipinos. Kami na lang gagawa. Hindi na sila humirit,” he told reporters after the meeting.

(I only told them that we are already reforming the system. If ICC has a problem that they want to investigate, they should let us do it. These are crimes committed in the Philippines by Filipinos. We’ll be the ones to resolve it. So they no longer insisted.)

He also told the EU delegations that “we don’t need them,” referring to the ICC.

“They know that we are in command here. We know what we are doing in this country,” Remulla said.

The Philippine government has repeatedly asserted that it has a fully functioning judicial system to conduct its own investigation and prosecute if evidence shows that crimes have been committed.

READ: Remulla: PH justice system working, ICC revival of ‘drug war’ probe an ‘irritant’

On Tuesday, Remulla said the ICC should focus its investigation on drug cartels instead of the Philippine government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Remulla pointed out that it ‘s the drug cartels that have been destroying society and not the Philippine government’s efforts to stamp out the narcotics trade.

KGA/abc