Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s legal troubles are tied to international law, not Philippine statutes, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile said Tuesday.
Enrile said Duterte’s case stems from laws enforced by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is investigating alleged human rights violations during his administration’s war on drugs.
“The current legal problem of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte is not caused by Philippine laws,” Enrile said. “His legal problem is caused by laws enforceable by the International Criminal Court (ICC).”
Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, withdrew the country from the ICC in 2019 after the court launched a preliminary probe into alleged extrajudicial killings under his anti-narcotics campaign.
Despite the withdrawal, the ICC has maintained jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed before the exit took effect.
Enrile asserted that it would be incorrect to blame the Philippine government for Duterte’s predicament and urged his legal team to obtain official documents related to the case.
“His lawyers should endeavor to secure a copy of the ICC charges against him so that they will know why he was ordered to be arrested by the ICC,” he said.
“Philippine domestic laws have nothing to do with his current legal problem,” he added.
Earlier, authorities arrested Duterte upon his arrival at the airport from a recent trip to Hong Kong.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, Duterte was taken into custody after ICC issued an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity.
Duterte and his allies have repeatedly dismissed the ICC’s probe, arguing that the court has no jurisdiction over the country.
The Marcos administration has yet to confirm whether it will cooperate with the ICC’s proceedings.
President Ferdinand Marcos previously said the country will not rejoin the international tribunal, maintaining that domestic courts can handle any allegations of wrongdoing.
