MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has backed the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to extend protection to Filipinos expected to testify before the International Criminal Court (ICC) against former President Rodrigo Duterte — a significant development that signals a nuanced shift in the administration’s stance on the controversial international probe.
While Malacañang maintained that the government is not directly cooperating with the ICC, officials confirmed the president supports DOJ’s “indirect cooperation” by safeguarding potential witnesses, citing the need to uphold justice for Filipino victims.
“’Yun din naman po ang gusto ng Pangulo: mabigyan ng hustisya ang (dapat) mabigyan ng hustisya,” said Presidential Communications Office’S Undersecretary Claire Castro in a Friday morning briefing at Malacañang.
Castro clarified that DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla’s move to protect witnesses should be viewed not as compliance with ICC procedures, but as a sovereign effort to uphold justice for fellow Filipinos.
“It can be said that it is indirectly cooperating with the ICC but the primary intention of the government is to help the victims and the witnesses of the victims to get the justice they need,” Castro explained.
She added: “Ang tutulungan po natin ay ang kapwa natin Pilipino na nangangailangan ng tulong para mabigyan sila ng hustisya.”
On June 26, Remulla confirmed that the government will provide security to three individuals who are set to testify before the ICC in its probe into alleged crimes against humanity during Duterte’s term.
“The government has to protect the people. Whether they are witnesses for the ICC or the general populace, we try to protect the people,” he said.
“Basta may coordination lang tayo pag may mga problema, we bridge the gaps. Para lang to make sure that the witnesses are fine and they’re functioning properly. At least, nali-lessen ang threats sa buhay nila,” he added.
Despite this development, Remulla underscored that it does not signal a shift in the Philippines’ official position of non-membership in the ICC. The country formally withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court, in 2019 during Duterte’s presidency./PN
