President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former President Rodrigo Duterte

MANILA, Philippines – The Marcos government did not pursue local cases against former President Rodrigo Duterte because prosecutors from the International Criminal Court had already started investigating killings linked to the administration of the former state chief. 

This was the position of the Malacañang Palace with the never ending question as to why Duterte had to be tried internationally despite a fully functioning local judicial system. 

“Nauna na po kasing mag imbestiga ang mga prosecutors ng ICC,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing Wednesday. 

“Hindi pa po nakaupo ang pangulo, si Pangulong Marcos, nakapag decide na po ang prosecutor ng ICC na ituloy ang pag iimbestiga dahil hindi ang dating pamahalaan sa kanilang pangako na sila ay magkakaroon ng tamang pag iimbestiga at i-po-prosecute ang dapat na i-prosecute,” she said. 

She also stressed that justice was elusive against the former president who, during his time, was said to have laid a finger on investigations being made into the killings. 

“At tandaan po natin may mga pagkakataon din po si Pangulong Duterte noon na mismong ang mga findings ng NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] ay pinakikialaman, sabihin natin hindi gumana ang justice system sa kanila,” she said. 

“Sa ibang tao, sa ordinaryong tao, yes gumagana. Pero sa kanila ay mukhang hindi,” she said. 

Citing for example the case of Police Supt. Marvin Marcos and members of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 8 charged with multiple murder for the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. in jail.

Castro quoted the former president’s words at that time, “I will not allow these guys to go to prison maski sabihin ng NBI murder eh tutal under ko rin ‘yan [referring to the NBI].” 

After the announcement, the charges were downgraded from multiple murder to homicide, reason for Supt. Marcos’ reinstatement and appointment. 

In the Senate hearing on the arrest of the former president, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla also echoed the same argument that families of drug war victims came to the ICC because Philippine justice failed them. 

Meanwhile the International Criminal Court commended the Philippines’s surrender of the former president but Castro said the president’s stance of not cooperating with the ICC remains.