By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
“Sumusunod tayo sa sarili nating batas at nakikipag-cooperate din tayo sa Interpol.”
As talks about the previous administration’s brutal war on drugs resurfaced after the International Criminal Court (ICC) tagged eight individuals as co-perpetrators of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang stressed that the government will not interfere in any related legal proceedings.
In a briefing on Monday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro reiterated that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. respects the procedures of the international tribunal as it looks into the case of Duterte and his political allies.
Castro, moreover, cited Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, an ally of the former President, as a key figure in exposing the shady truth behind the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) committed under Duterte’s tenure as the country’s highest government official.
She told the media, “Si Mayor Magalong na nagsilbing oversight committee head ang umamin na maraming naging patayan na hindi nararapat, at ang ibang nasa listahan ay mga political rivalry diumano, at ito ay maling-mali.”
“Kung mismong isang Duterte supporter ang nagsasabing mali ang nagawang EJK, hindi po ba dapat lamang na maimbestigahan po talaga kung sino ang dapat managot?”
Firm resolve
“Hindi ito diversion, dahil matagal na po ang kasong ito na nakasampa sa ICC. Hindi pa nga po pangulo si Pangulong Marcos Jr. ay naisampa na po ito.”
In defense of the government, the Palace official cited non-partisanship among others as factors in the decision to hand over the alleged defendants to the ICC for further legal interventions on cases lodged against them.
This, in response to the document released by ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang on Feb. 13, which cited Senators Christopher ‘Bong’ Go and Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa among eight incumbent and former officials as co-perpetrators in the past administration’s bloody war on drugs, which include:
- Former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II
- Former Davao City Police Office Director Vicente Danao
- Late Former Davao Region Police Office Finance Chief Camilo Cascolan
- Former NCRPO Director and PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde
- Former NBI Davao Region Director Dante Gierran
- Former PDEA Chief Isidro Lapeña
Castro, meanwhile, lamented PDP-Laban’s Statement condemning the government’s approach in handling such high-profile cases which involve ICC and the international community and treating such as ‘diversionary tactics’.
She called out detractors and the opposition, “Kinakailangan po bang magkagulo? Ang pagsisilbi ng hustisya ay hindi naman po dapat na maging daan upang kampihan ang iilan o kakampihan ang ilang mga nasasangkot sa nasabing criminal complaint.”
The Palace mouthpiece concluded her remarks by challenging those named in ICC’s court document to face the music, “Kung kayo’y nagtatago, ano bang ibig sabihin niyan? Kayo ba’y may kasalanan, itinatago niyo para hindi po kayo madinig? Hindi po kinakailangang magtago kung alam po nila na sila’y walang kasalanan.”
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