President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has met with key Cabinet officials and discussed the investigation being insisted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on alleged crimes committed during illegal drugs operations by the previous administration.
But Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra, who was present during Wednesday’s, July 27, meeting declined to give details.
“The only agenda was the government’s position on the ICC investigation. I’d rather leave it to the President to make any disclosure at this time,” Guevarra said.
Also present during the meeting were Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile.
Last June 24, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan proposed before the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber the resumption of the investigation on alleged crimes committed during the drugs war of former President Duterte.
The ICC then issued a request last July 14 asking the Philippine government to comment on Khan’s proposal.
Guevarra had earlier said the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), the government’s law firm, has started studying actions to take.
“The OSG is considering several options, such as challenging the jurisdiction of the ICC/admissibility of the case, or continuing to leave our lines of communication with the ICC open,” he said.