Pacquiao says he will respect, won't block ICC probe vs Duterte
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Friday said he would not impede the investigation of the International Criminal Court against President Rodrigo Duterte should he win in next year's elections.
The ICC's pretrial chamber has begun a full probe into the supposed crimes against humanity on Duterte administration's bloody anti-illegal drug campaign that has seen thousands killed since 2016.
Malacañang has vowed it will not cooperate and said no member of the international body would be allowed entry to the Philippines to gather information on the case.
"We respect the investigation of the ICC," Pacquiao told ANC's "Headstart" where he made an erroneous claim that the country is still part of the tribunal.
Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the ICC in 2019 after then special prosecutor Fatou Bensouda initiated a preliminary examination into claims of extrajudicial killings under the president's drug war.
"We will not be against that because that is their right as we are a member of the international community," Pacquiao added. "We should respect their process."
The presidential aspirant was asked if that meant he would allow Duterte to be jailed if he succeeds him next year.
To which, Pacquiao only said: "When it comes to that, we respect the investigation of the ICC."
For most of his years as senator under the Duterte administration, Pacquiao has been a close ally of the president.
But things fell apart for the two this 2021, which led to the ruling party PDP-Laban to also split.
As a result, Pacquiao will be eyeing the presidency under his own faction of the party, while there is another of Duterte led by his Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.
Stance on the drug war
How did Pacquiao's view of Duterte's crackdown on illegal drugs changed over the course of time?
In 2017, he said it was unfair for the Philippine National Police that only deaths from the drug war were being put on spotlight, when many as well have surrendered.
The year after that, Pacquiao, who has long claimed he is "pro-life," told students of Oxford University in the United Kingdom that there are no EJKs in his country.
Pacquiao has also supported returning the death penalty as capital punishment — through firing squad — for drug lords and pushers. — Christian Deiparine
President Rodrigo Duterte says the controversial drug war will continue until the last day of his term, with or without a communication filed at the International Criminal Court.
Duterte: It does not mean that there are dead persons we will stop the campaign against drugs @PhilippineStar @PhilstarNews
— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) February 26, 2018
The ICC recently announced that it has begun processing the accusations against Duterte and his campaign against illegal drugs, which has led to the killing of thousands of people since he assumed power in June 2016. — Photo of the ICC building by AP/Peter Dejong
Vice President Sara Duterte issues a curt response to the ICC’s decision to resume its probe on the drug war killings under her father former President Rodrigo Duterte: “No Comment.” — Cristina Chi
The Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC) expresses its elation over the recent decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Appeals Chamber, which firmly rejected and dismissed the Philippine government's appeal to halt the investigation into the Philippine situation.
"We have been waiting for this decision. The families of victims of the war on drugs have long been waiting for justice," the PCICC says.
"As of now, many of the victims and families who suffered and continue to suffer due to the brutal war on drugs pin their hopes on the ICC as the only credible venue for justice," it adds.
A human rights group has expressed its satisfaction with the recent decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reject the Philippine government's attempt to halt the investigation into drug war-related killings in Davao City and during former President Rodrigo Duterte's regime.
"It is high time that the ICC investigation proceeds without a hitch so that the victims of Duterte’s bloody anti-drug war can finally tread the road towards justice and accountability," Karapatan says.
"There is urgent need for international mechanisms such as the ICC to come in because all domestic investigation mechanisms presented by the Duterte and the current Marcos regimes in response to calls for justice and accountability are ineffective and only meant to window-dress the current dire human rights situation," it adds.
International Criminal Court Appeals Chamber rejects Philippine government's appeal, allowing the resumption of the investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed in relation to the so-called drug war and Davao death squad killings. — The STAR/Janvic Mateo
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. says the Philippines “cannot cooperate” with the International Criminal Court as he raised “questions about their jurisdiction and about what we consider to be interference and practically attacks on the sovereignty of the republic.”
With the rejection of the ICC’s Appeals Chamber of the Philippines’ request to suspend probe into “war on drugs,” Marcos says “that ends all pur involvement with the ICC.” — The STAR/Alexis Romero
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