DAVAO CITY – Davao City first district Rep. Paolo Duterte criticized the International Criminal Court for their selective prosecution and political bias in handling international cases.
In a statement, Duterte said ICC has become “a lapdog of the powerful,” allegedly influenced by the United States and Israel, while targeting leaders from smaller nations.
Duterte questioned the ICC’s position and response to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, particularly in relation to Iran and the situation in Palestine.
The lawmaker said the tribunal has remained silent as “bombs fall on Iran” and as Palestinians endure mass casualties and displacement, among others.
Duterte said the tribunal’s silence is not neutrality – it is complicity.
He compared ICC’s response in situations to their case against former President Rodrigo Duterte, investigated for alleged crimes against humanity during his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
According to Duterte, the former President’s policies were implemented in response to what he described as a national emergency involving illegal drugs, violent crime, and organized syndicates.
Duterte said the anti-drug campaign was intended to protect citizens and preserve public order. “To criminalize these efforts while turning a blind eye to mass civilian deaths elsewhere is the height of hypocrisy,” the lawmaker said.
Duterte described the ICC’s actions as “selective prosecution” and “weaponized law,” arguing that international law is being applied unevenly.
“Former President Duterte was taken to The Hague not in pursuit of justice, but because he was perceived as a threat – a leader unwilling to bow to external control,” Duterte said.
The ICC maintained that their investigations are guided by their mandate under the Rome Statute and are based on legal criteria and evidence.
Duterte emphasized that karma has a long memory. He said that institutions that enable impunity today will be judged tomorrow.
“A court that refuses to see, hear, or speak in the face of real-time atrocities has already sentenced itself in the court of history,” Duterte said. “The world is watching. And the mask has fallen.”
EDCA sites’ expansion questioned
Duterte questioned the government’s move to expand sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.
He described the expansion as a threat to national security and an act that places the country at risk of being drawn into foreign conflicts.
Duterte accused the government of acting in the interests of the United States rather than prioritizing Filipinos.
He said that under fundamental military doctrine, territories made available to foreign forces could become legitimate targets in the event of armed conflict.
Duterte stressed that the continued expansion of EDCA sites across the country effectively exposes Filipino communities to potential danger.
“With tensions escalating globally, including the widening fallout of the US-Iran conflict and the risk of a larger confrontation involving China, these EDCA sites turn our communities, airports, and seaports into potential battlegrounds,” he said.
Duterte maintained that the risks are not theoretical and would primarily affect civilians rather than policymakers.
Meanwhile, supporters of Vice President Sara Duterte from various parts of the country marked March 1 with synchronized activities under the banner “Green Rise: Action and Hope for 2028,” which organizers described as a nationwide expression of unity grounded in the values of “tapang at malasakit” (courage and compassion).
Hundreds of participants gathered before sunrise at Freedom Park on Roxas St. here for a motorcade that officially launched the day’s events.
Organizers said supporters from various places arrived between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m., many dressed in green and wearing ribbons as part of a campaign themed “Tie Green Ribbons: Tie the Knot of Hope.”
Convoy vehicles were decorated with green accents, while supporters stationed along the route waved ribbons and flags.
Organizers said the activity aimed to demonstrate solidarity among Filipinos across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, highlighting unity and resilience in the face of national challenges. Similar activities were encouraged nationwide.