The Department of Justice (DOJ) has not changed its stand against the investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on alleged crimes against humanity committed during the administration of then President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

“Sa ngayon ito pa rin po ‘yung stand namin na wala pong jurisdiction ang ICC (This remains our stand that the ICC has no jurisdiction to conduct the investigation in the Philippines),” said DOJ Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic F. Calvano IV said on PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

“Although, of course, magiging bukas kami if ever meron po tayong nakikitang pagbabago sa polisiya (Although, of course, we remain open to any change in policy),” he said. 

Clavano responded to the calls made by Vice President Sara Duterte that the DOJ should remain firm in its stance not to cooperate with the ICC.

"Umiiba din po ‘yung polisiya ng gobyerno (the policy of the government alsochanges),” he said.

In the meantime, Clavano said the government continues to study the possibility of returning to the ICC following calls made by various lawmakers to rejoin and cooperate in the investigation.

The Philippines, upon the orders of then President Duterte in 2018, has already withdrawn as a party state to the Rome Statute which created the ICC.  The withdrawal took effect in 2019.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla had said cooperation with the ICC investigation might only happen if the Philippines rejoins.

“Pinag-aaralan pa po natin ‘yan and marami po talagang consideration (We are studying it and there are a lot of considerations),” Clavano said.

"Ayaw natin na mukha tayong balimbing (we don’t want to look like we always change sides),” he stressed.

“S’yempre kailangan natin maging deliberate, kailangan natin pag-aralan ng mabuti para ‘yung mga decision ho natin hindi makakaapekto sa ating state (Of course we have to be deliberate, we need to study carefully so that our decisions will not affect the state),” he stressed.