Malacañang has pointed to the previous administration as the reason the International Criminal Court (ICC) resumed its investigation into the alleged crimes against humanity during the bloody drug war of former president Rodrigo Duterte that ultimately led to his arrest and surrender last week.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this after Duterte's administration asked if it was not possible for the Philippine courts to prosecute Duterte instead of handing him over to the ICC.

In a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, March 19, the Palace Press Officer explained that the Duterte administration had asked the ICC to suspend its investigation, promising to conduct its own probe and file cases against those involved in the supposed extrajudicial killings (EJKs) and human rights violations.

However, she pointed out that the Duterte administration failed to fulfill this commitment, prompting the ICC to resume its investigation.

"Sinabi po ng ICC Prosecutor na hindi nagampanan ng administrasyon ni dating pangulong Duterte yung pangako, yung undertaking na sila’y magsasagawa ng pag-iimbestiga at magsasampa ng karampatang kaso (The ICC Prosecutor said the Duterte administration did not fulfill its promise, its undertaking to conduct an investigation and file the necessary cases)," she said.

"Kaya po ipinagpatuloy muli ang pag-iimbestiga ng ICC prosecutor (That is why the ICC prosecutor resumed the investigation)," she added.

Castro argued that the Duterte administration should have laid the groundwork for an investigation that the Marcos government could follow through.

"Kung meron po dapat na ipagpatuloy ang administrasyong Marcos patungkol sa pag-iimbestigang 'yan, ay dapat nasimula na po (If the Marcos administration were to continue that investigation, it should have already been started)," she said.

"So huwag natin ipahid ang kasalanan ito sa administrasyon ni Pangulong Marcos (So let us not put the blame on President Marcos’ administration)," she added.

According to Castro, the Duterte government had itself to blame as the issue would not have escalated if it had acted on its commitment.

"Hindi sila agad kumilos patungkol dito sa mga kasong ito na nireklamo patungkol sa madugong war on drugs (They did not act promptly on these cases related to the bloody war on drugs)," she said.

When asked why the Marcos administration did not pursue an investigation, Castro cited the House of Representatives Quad-committee (Quad-comm) hearings that revealed information about what supposedly transpired during Duterte's presidency.

"Doon natin nalaman at doon naibulaslas kung ano ba ang nangyari sa panahon ni dating pangulong Duterte (There we learned and uncovered what really happened during former President Duterte’s time)," she said.

The ICC's investigation focuses on the thousands of killings linked to Duterte's infamous anti-drug campaign, which has been widely condemned by human rights organizations.

Duterte, who was arrested and surrendered to the ICC on March 11, withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019 after the court began its preliminary examination, arguing that it had no authority over the country.

Despite the withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the ICC maintained that it had jurisdiction over crimes committed while the Philippines was still a member.