Expert claims ICC 'weaponized' in political feud in the Philippines
Please provide the article description you would like me to rewrite.
TroibNews 
President Marcos Jr. may have leveraged the warrant from The Hague to eliminate Rodrigo Duterte, according to Anna Malindog-Uy in an interview with RTN.
The potential extradition of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC) could stem from internal political strife, a specialist has indicated.
Current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may have strategically orchestrated this situation to dispose of a political rival, as suggested by Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute.
Duterte, who is 79, was apprehended at Manila’s international airport earlier this month under an ICC warrant and subsequently appeared before the court’s pre-trial chamber last week. He is set to remain in custody until his next hearing in September.
“There is this ongoing feud between the Marcos and the Dutertes and I think that the Marcos Jr. administration has weaponized the ICC against the Dutertes,” Malindog-Uy remarked.
Duterte faces accusations of crimes against humanity stemming from the ‘war on drugs’ during his presidency, with official reports indicating that police operations resulted in approximately 6,200 deaths. While he has taken full responsibility for these incidents, he contests the notion that he orchestrated a campaign of systematic homicide.
The rivalry between Duterte and Marcos, representing two of the Philippines' most influential political families, has its roots in personal grievances and policy clashes. Duterte has charged Marcos with consolidating power and drug use, while Marcos has countered these claims with references to Duterte's use of the painkiller fentanyl. Additionally, Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, is currently facing impeachment over allegations, including a conspiracy to murder the president.
Malindog-Uy emphasized that the ICC is intended to act as a court of last resort, stepping in only when national jurisdictions fail to genuinely investigate and prosecute serious international crimes such as genocide or crimes against humanity.
"That is not the case with the Philippines,” she asserted.
However, supporters of Duterte have denounced the arrest as unlawful, highlighting that the country formally withdrew from the ICC in 2019.
The ICC maintains that it can uphold jurisdiction over alleged crimes that occurred while a country was still a signatory to the court.
The ICC has faced ongoing criticism for its perceived disproportionate focus on developing nations, with many alleging that it acts in a neocolonial manner and enforces selective justice that favors Western interests over impartial legal principles.
Emily Johnson contributed to this article for TROIB News
The potential extradition of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC) could stem from internal political strife, a specialist has indicated.
Current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may have strategically orchestrated this situation to dispose of a political rival, as suggested by Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute.
Duterte, who is 79, was apprehended at Manila’s international airport earlier this month under an ICC warrant and subsequently appeared before the court’s pre-trial chamber last week. He is set to remain in custody until his next hearing in September.
“There is this ongoing feud between the Marcos and the Dutertes and I think that the Marcos Jr. administration has weaponized the ICC against the Dutertes,” Malindog-Uy remarked.
Duterte faces accusations of crimes against humanity stemming from the ‘war on drugs’ during his presidency, with official reports indicating that police operations resulted in approximately 6,200 deaths. While he has taken full responsibility for these incidents, he contests the notion that he orchestrated a campaign of systematic homicide.
The rivalry between Duterte and Marcos, representing two of the Philippines' most influential political families, has its roots in personal grievances and policy clashes. Duterte has charged Marcos with consolidating power and drug use, while Marcos has countered these claims with references to Duterte's use of the painkiller fentanyl. Additionally, Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, is currently facing impeachment over allegations, including a conspiracy to murder the president.
Malindog-Uy emphasized that the ICC is intended to act as a court of last resort, stepping in only when national jurisdictions fail to genuinely investigate and prosecute serious international crimes such as genocide or crimes against humanity.
"That is not the case with the Philippines,” she asserted.
However, supporters of Duterte have denounced the arrest as unlawful, highlighting that the country formally withdrew from the ICC in 2019.
The ICC maintains that it can uphold jurisdiction over alleged crimes that occurred while a country was still a signatory to the court.
The ICC has faced ongoing criticism for its perceived disproportionate focus on developing nations, with many alleging that it acts in a neocolonial manner and enforces selective justice that favors Western interests over impartial legal principles.
Emily Johnson contributed to this article for TROIB News
