By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has boldly challenged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to proceed with its investigation into his controversial war on drugs, downplaying the potential for accountability on allegations of crimes against humanity.

Speaking at the Quad Comm hearing on Wednesday (November 13, 2024), Duterte dared the ICC to “come here and start the investigation tomorrow,” suggesting that he might die before they even have the chance.

“I’m asking the ICC to hurry up, and if possible, they can come here and start the investigation tomorrow,” Duterte said, responding to Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas’s questions.

“This issue has been left hanging for so many years. Matagal, ma’am, baka mamatay na ako hindi na nila ako maimbestigahan (It’s been a long time, ma’am, I might die before they get to investigate me),” he added.

His comments follow years of criticism over his alleged evasion of accountability for thousands of extrajudicial killings under his administration, which the ICC has heavily scrutinized.

Despite his controversial withdrawal of the Philippines from the ICC, widely seen as an attempt to avoid examination, Duterte claimed he would accept any verdict if found guilty.

“If I am found guilty, I will go to prison and rot there for all time,” he remarked, appearing unfazed by the gravity of the allegations against him.

Duterte has openly admitted to directing police to provoke resistance from criminals, effectively endorsing a “shoot-to-kill” approach.

When asked about his 2016 statements encouraging criminals to resist arrest, Duterte defended his stance. “Yes, because that could be justified kung lumaban (if they fought back),” he argued, framing the violence as a method to “reduce the number of criminals.”

His approach, he claimed, was simply to lessen the “burden” of crime by decreasing the population of alleged criminals.

“Doon sa mga manufacturer, sinasabi ko talaga patayin niyo, basta naabutan ninyo dyan sa factory na nagluluto ng shabu (To those manufacturers, I really said, kill them if you catch them cooking shabu in their factory),” he admitted, taking full responsibility for his orders.

“Yan ang utos ko, and I assume full responsibility (That’s my order, and I assume full responsibility),” Duterte concluded.

ia/mnm