Duterte to ICC: Drug war will last until the day I step down

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte AP

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday told the International Criminal Court (ICC) that his war on drugs would continue until the last day of his term.

Duterte made this remark days after the ICC announced that it will conduct a preliminary examination on the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Philippines under Duterte.

READ: ICC to launch ‘preliminary examination’ on PH ‘war on drugs’

“Drugs — I like to address myself to the International Court of Justice and to the Prosecutors coming here to investigate. The war or the drive against drugs will not stop. And it will last until the day I step out,” he said.

“If I go to prison, I go to prison. If you want to execute me, look for a country that allows prisoners to be executed by firing squad. Doon ako (I’ll be there),” he added.

On Friday, Duterte said Prosecutor Fatous Bensouda should explain why she decided to conduct a preliminary examination on the administration’s drug war when there were other “massacres” happening in Asia.

The President said he was ready to face investigation of the ICC.

READ: Duterte to ICC probers: I welcome you

“I hope you come. And I hope that we can be together in a room. I would ask for that rare privilege of talking to you, the two of us in the room,” Duterte earlier said in a press briefing in Davao City. /je