President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. of the Philippines says his government “will not lift a finger” to help the International Criminal Court in its probe of the country's brutal crackdown on illicit drugs.
The court launched a formal investigation in 2021 into possible crimes against humanity carried out by Marcos’s predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. At least 6,000 people on the archipelago were killed under Duterte’s anti-narcotics campaign during his six-year tenure, which ended in 2022.
Some human rights groups, however, say the real death toll could be as high as 30,000, including executions by vigilantes who, according to activists, often work closely with police.
The ICC dropped its probe after Manila said it had launched its own investigation. But the court resumed its probe last year, expressing dissatisfaction with the Philippines’ investigation. The court rejected an appeal by Manila to reverse its decision.
President Marcos told reporters Tuesday he does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, calling it “a threat to our sovereignty.” He said ICC investigators can enter the country “as ordinary people” but would receive no help from any government agency.
Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019 after the court launched a preliminary investigation into his crackdown.
