THE International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction over the crimes against humanity complaint filed against President Rodrigo Duterte, a spokesperson from Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) said Friday, February 9.
According to OSG spokesperson Erik Dy, the ICC cannot replace the national courts, which has jurisdition over such cases.
"The ICC may only exercise jurisdiction where domestic courts are incapable of carrying out the proper proceedings," he added.
The Office of President was notified on Thursday that the ICC would conduct a preliminary examination into the allegations of crimes against humanity against Duterte and 11 other government officials.
Dy said there are adequate remedies in the country to address issues on extra-judicial killings.
In fact, he said the petitions filed against the administration's war on drugs are now up for resolution before the Supreme Court.
"This negates the need for the ICC to take cognizance of the matter," Dy said.
Lawyer Jude Sabio, who represented self-confessed Davao Death Squad member Edgar Matobato, filed a communication agaisnt Duterte last year over alleged involvement in the vigilante killings in Davao when he was mayor.
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Magdalo Party-list Representative Gary Alejano supplemented the Sabio complaint with another communication submitted in June 2017.
MalacaƱang Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the ICC is just wasting its time and resources by undertaking the preliminary examination.
Roque stressed that the ICC must only function as the "court of last resort," or only when the state is unable to carry out its own investigation. (SunStar Philippines)