SolGen: No change in gov't policy on ICC

Contrary to claims of some allies of former president Rodrigo Duterte, the Marcos administration has not changed its policy on the ongoing investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on the war on drugs, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said.

-  JANVIC MATEO

"There is no change in the position previously stated by President (Marcos) many months ago. He has repeated that statement over and over, to the effect that the Philippines has no legal duty to cooperate (with the ICC)," Guevarra said in English and Filipino during an interview with "Storycon" on One News on Thursday.

"As far as that policy is concerned, I am not aware that the President has deviated from what he has consistently stated before. It's a policy, it's up to him whether he will stick to it or not," he added.

The administration drew criticism from Duterte's allies after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said in August that the Philippines cannot block the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) from serving arrest warrants issued by the ICC.

He said the Philippines, while no longer a member of the ICC, is still obligated to honor its commitments with Interpol.