ICC should not cast blame vs Philippines, says China

March 30, 2018

China has urged the international community, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), to support of the Philippines' efforts against illegal drugs than "pointing fingers and casting blames."

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang, in a press conference on March 28, reiterated that the ICC should respect the sovereignty of different states.

"China always maintains that the ICC should respect the sovereignty of nations, act cautiously and avoid being used as a political tool. China believes that a sovereign country has the right to say no to political manipulation under the cloak of law," he said.

Since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office, he has "firmly cracked down on drug-related crimes and improved public security," thus, creating "the sound environment for the Philippines' economic development and its people's peaceful life and wins full approval and wide support at home," he said.

"The international community should give more understanding and support to those efforts instead of pointing fingers and casting blames," Lu said.

Duterte has ordered the Philippine withdrawal from the Rome Statute, which created the ICC,

The withdrawal came after the ICC prosecutor has said that it is conducting a preliminary examination against the President based on the complaint filed against him by a Filipino lawyer for allegedly committing crimes against humanity due to his bloody war on drugs. Celerina Monte/DMS