The ICC’s assertion of jurisdiction over the drug war case against former president Rodrigo Duterte drew sharp criticism from Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday, who called the decision a direct affront to Philippine sovereign authority.
“At its core, this development raises serious concerns about the inviolate respect for national sovereignty and the proper limits of international jurisdiction,” Marcos said in a statement.
Central to her objection is the argument that the Philippines’ formal withdrawal from the Rome Statute should have foreclosed any ICC action. “This determination disregards the Philippines’ sovereign withdrawal from the Rome Statute,” she said.
Marcos, a known Duterte ally, also challenged the court’s move as a violation of the principle that national legal institutions should take precedence when they are capable and willing to act — arguing the ruling had undermined that “fundamental principle that domestic institutions must be given primacy where they are able and willing to act.”
She stressed that any accountability process must remain anchored in Philippine law. “Justice must be pursued in a manner consistent with our Constitution, our laws, and the integrity of our own judicial processes,” Marcos said.
