Malacañang on Thursday dismissed Vice President Sara Duterte’s accusations that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is actively supporting the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing her statements as “baseless,” “useless,” and “nonsense.”
During a Palace press briefing, Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro responded to Duterte’s remarks at The Hague, where the Vice President accused President Marcos of supporting the ICC, calling him a “traitor,” alongside former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, over the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the international tribunal.
Castro rejected the allegations, saying the Vice President’s statements have no factual basis.
“Ang lahat po halos na sinasabi ng Vice Presidente sa ngayon ay walang basehan, walang saysay, useless, at nonsense. Maaaring ito ay kanyang nasasabi out of frustration dahil ang kanyang ama ngayon ay nililitis sa ICC,” Castro said.
She stressed that the case against former President Duterte predates the Marcos administration, noting that the ICC proceedings stem from events in 2017 when President Marcos was still a private citizen.
“Tandaan din po natin... ang kaso na naisampang kay dating Pangulong Duterte ay noong taong 2017 habang si Pangulong Marcos Jr. noon ay isang ordinaryo at pribadong mamamayan lang. Hindi ito kasalanan ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. Tumutupad lang ang Pangulo sa batas,” she said.
Castro added that if anyone should be blamed for the ICC case, it should not be President Marcos.
“Kung meron dapat sisihin, walang iba kundi ang kanyang sariling ama dahil sa mga pag-amin nito, na siya mismo ay pumatay at nagpapatay,” she said.
She also described the ICC as an impartial institution that cannot be influenced or intimidated.
“Malamang ay ikinalulungkot lamang niya dahil ang ICC ay isang impartial court. Hindi maaaring gamitan ng impluwensya at hindi kayang takutin,” Castro added.
When asked whether the Marcos administration had changed its position on rejoining the ICC, Castro said there has been no change in policy.
“Sa ngayon ay wala pa rin pong update... wala pa pong napag-uusapan kung kinakailangan na mag-rejoin sa ICC,” she said.
Castro also reacted to Duterte’s separate remarks in which she claimed that a gunman could allegedly be hired in the Philippines for ₱5,000 to kill a person's spouse's mistress, saying the administration does not tolerate criminal acts.
“Ang Pangulo po at ang administrasyon na ito ay kumakalaban po sa mga criminal acts, sa mga ginagawang krimen,” Castro said.
She questioned why Duterte was making such statements instead of helping authorities address criminality, noting that both the Vice President and her father had long served in government.
“Bakit kaya hindi ito nasawata kung totoo ang kanyang binabanggit patungkol dito? Dapat siya na ang nauna na ito ay pigilan at hindi i-promote ang pagkausap sa isang assassin para pumatay sa taong kanyang kinaiinisan o sa taong siya ay galit,” Castro said.
The exchange comes amid continued tensions between the Marcos administration and the Duterte camp, as the former president remains before the ICC while Vice President Duterte faces an ongoing impeachment trial in the Senate.
