Philippine government denies ICC claims, no warrant for Go

The Philippine government has denied accusations that it is using the International Criminal Court to target political opponents, following claims by a lawmaker that new arrest warrants have been issued. The rebuttal came on Thursday, June 18, from a senior official who emphasized that the ICC case originated from complaints filed by Filipino citizens.

Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro, speaking from Kazan, Russia, responded directly to allegations made by Davao City Representative Paolo Duterte. In a social media post on Wednesday, Duterte claimed a "highly reliable source" informed him that the ICC had already issued arrest warrants against Senator Christopher "Bong" Go and two former police officers. He accused the administration of using government agencies and the international court as a political weapon to silence rivals and distract from other issues.

Castro firmly rejected this characterization. She stated that the ICC is an independent court handling a case filed by Filipinos in 2017 concerning alleged abuses and extrajudicial killings linked to the previous administration's drug war. She argued the process is about accountability, not...