Duterte attacks ICC, EU

September 22, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday attacked the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the European Union (EU) for interfering in the country, calling the court a “bunch of criminals”.

In a speech in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Duterte said the two organizations want him to be in prison for the alleged 4,000 persons killed in the government's war on drugs.

“They want to send me to prison and try me for genocide. It was not for a --- it’s nothing for a race or… They’re bunch of criminals. They cannot even show me how they died? When did they die? Where? Nothing,” he said.

He added that EU is into “international governing”.

“They create an ICC, European Community and they try to impose their values and the way they think how criminal is categorized and classified and want to impose it,” he said.

“It’s  neo-colonialism,” he added.

These statements come after US National Security Adviser John Bolton criticized ICC for its possible probe against American troops in Afghanistan for alleged war crimes.

"So the timely word of Bolton now is quite refreshing to us especially that I'm the noisiest in disrespecting them (ICC) because they are also disrespecting us," Duterte said.  Ella Dionisio/DMS