Pres. Bongbong Marcos Committed To VP Sara Duterte PH Gov’t Won’t Assist ICC
BONGBONG MARCOS – The legal team of former President Rodrigo Duterte for his legal battle before the International Criminal Court (ICC) cited the letter of the President to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.
The unexpected turn of events last March 11 has created a huge gap between the supporters of the Dutertes and the Marcoses. Undeniably, it has also triggered the feud between Pres. Marcos and Vice Pres. Duterte who were once a solid tandem in the 2022 Elections.
Former Pres. Rodrigo Duterte is detained in the Hague, Netherlands for more than a month now. Before returning to the Philippines last month, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte set the ICC legal team of the former President. She stayed in The Hague for more than three (3) weeks for the matter.
The ICC legal team of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte is led by British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman. French lawyer Dr. Dov Jacobs is also part of the team. Recently, Duterte’s camp issued a submission challenging the jurisdiction of the ICC in the country.
Based on a report on PhilStar, in the said submission to the International Criminal Court, the lawyers of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte included the Senate investigation conducted by presidential sister and Senator Imee Marcos over Duterte’s arrest. They also included the letter of Pres. Bongbong Marcos to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte.
The defense team submitted a 38-page challenge to the ICC. Based on the report, in the letter of Pres. Bongbong Marcos to Vice Pres. Sara Duterte, he assured the Vice President that the government will not “assist the ICC, in any way, shape or form”. Based on the report, the said letter was dated December 15, 2023.
Reportedly, a copy of the said letter was presented during the Senate investigation led by Sen. Imee Marcos over Duterte’s arrest. During the time when the letter was issued, Pres. Bongbong Marcos assured Vice Pres. Sara Duterte that he remains “steadfast in (his) resolve that the jurisdiction of the ICC over the Republic of the Philippines after the effectivity of its withdrawal therefrom is very much in question”.
Furthermore, the President expressed his guarantee that all his cabinet officials will echo the same views with him regarding the matter. However, last March 11, the Philippine government acted on the arrest of former Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
According to Marcos Jr., the Philippine government did it due to its commitment with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). The President and the government earned countless criticisms from the people over Duterte’s arrest and the transfer of his custody to the ICC.
Amid the political turmoil in the Philippine government now, Vice Pres. Sara Duterte is endorsing Sen. Imee Marcos and claimed she’s different from Pres. Bongbong Marcos. The Senator previously denied that the endorsement is a reward for investigating the former President’s arrest.