Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has shed light on President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to challenge the International Criminal Court (ICC) to probe his administration’s war on drugs. According to Carpio, Duterte knows that the ICC cannot simply descend upon the country and launch an investigation without proper invitation or consent from the Philippine government.
Carpio views this move as a calculated public relations ploy rather than a genuine invitation for scrutiny. He maintains that this dare is nothing but propaganda designed to manipulate public opinion and deflect criticism of his administration’s human rights record.
The issue highlights the complex relationship between the Philippine government and international bodies like the ICC, which has been criticized for its alleged lack of impartiality in recent years.