Vice President Sara Duterte said attempts to compel Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to face proceedings linked to the International Criminal Court (ICC) would allegedly violate constitutional rights and Philippine sovereignty.

In a video interview released by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Thursday, May 14, Duterte argued that foreign courts and tribunals do not have jurisdiction inside the Philippines unless local courts issue corresponding orders.

“Sinasabi naman noong una pang tinanong ako sa ICC warrant sabi ko nga hindi pwede yan dahil ang mga foreign courts at foreign tribunals, wala silang jurisdiction sa loob ng Pilipinas (From the very beginning, when I was asked about the ICC warrant, I said that it cannot be enforced because foreign courts and foreign tribunals have no jurisdiction within the Philippines),” Duterte said in an interview in The Hague on May 13.

Duterte stressed that any action involving foreign tribunals must pass through Philippine courts before it can be implemented.

“Kaya wala din bisa lahat ng mga issuances ng foreign courts at foreign tribunals sa Pilipinas (Therefore, all issuances of foreign courts and foreign tribunals have no effect in the Philippines),” she said.

“Maliban na lang kung ipasok yan sa loob ng local courts at ‘yung local courts ang mag-issue ng kanyang sariling Philippine order base doon sa mapag-usapan sa kaso (The only exception would be if such matters are brought before local courts, and it is the local courts that issue their own Philippine order based on what is discussed in the case),” she added.

Violation of rights 

Duterte noted that allowing foreign-issued warrants or directives without local court action could violate the constitutional rights of accused individuals.

“Yun ang dapat na proses dahil kapag sinasabi mo na pwede yan sa isang Republic Act, masasagasaan niya ‘yung rights ng isang accused na nasa Bill of Rights natin na protektado ng Constitution natin (That is the proper process because when you say it can be done under a Republic Act, it infringes upon the rights of the accused that are protected under our Bill of Rights in the Constitution),” Duterte said.

“Ibig sabihin, naviolate ‘yung rights ni Senator Bato dela Rosa (This means that the rights of Senator Bato dela Rosa have been violated),” she added.

Duterte also revisited the earlier arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (PRRD), claiming that international observers described the incident as “extraordinary rendition” rather than a lawful surrender.

“At nakita na natin noon, kaya nga diba nung nangyari ‘yung pagkuha, pagkidnap kay dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte, sa paningin ng buong mundo, ang tawag nila doon ay extraordinary rendition (And we have already seen this before that is why, when the taking, the kidnapping of former President Rodrigo Duterte happened, in the eyes of the whole world, they called it extraordinary rendition),” the Vice President said.

“Hindi ‘yun surrender kasi sapilitan mong kinuha ‘yung isang tao sa bayan niya at dinala mo sa ibang bayan (That was not surrender because you forcibly took a person from his own country and brought him to another),” she added.

Duterte maintained that the Philippine Constitution should remain the basis for legal proceedings involving Filipino citizens.

“Kaya ‘yun ‘yung opinion at paningin ng buong mundo sa nangyari noon. Ganyan din ‘yung sinusubukan nilang gawin ngayon kay Sen. Baton Dela Rosa at hindi nga yan, hindi siya pwede dahil meron tayong constitution na sinusunod. Lahat naman sila nagsasabi, di ba, na para tayo sa constitution (That is the opinion and perspective of the whole world on what happened before. And that is also what they are now trying to do to Senator Bato dela Rosa but that cannot be allowed because we have a Constitution that must be followed. Everyone says, don’t they, that we stand for the Constitution),” Duterte said.

“Pero kapag ang administration na ang gumalaw, wala nang constitution, wala nang batas. Puro nalang pang-aabuso, pananakot at dahas (Yet when the administration itself acts, suddenly there is no Constitution, no law. Only abuse, intimidation, and violence),” she added.

Duterte’s remarks were made after the Senate tension on May 13 involving dela Rosa, amid the ongoing political debate over the ICC investigation and possible legal actions concerning former Duterte administration officials.

Duterte is currently in the Netherlands, while former President Rodrigo Duterte faces legal proceedings before the ICC over allegations tied to his administration’s war on drugs.

Earlier, Malacañang confirmed that the Office of the President approved Duterte’s revised foreign travel schedule from May 2 to 15.