Rody wants to be tried by special court in Phl

If he would be made to answer for the thousands of deaths in his drug war, former president Rodrigo Duterte said this should be done before a special court” in the country.

- By HELEN FLORES

Duterte made the pronouncement at last Wednesday’s hearing by the quad committee of the House of Representatives on extrajudicial killings and the drug war during his term.

He said he disliked “white people” – apparently referring to prosecutors and judges of the International Criminal Court, and would want to be tried for his alleged crimes by “a Philippine court as a Filipino.” ICC judges and prosecutors belong to diverse nationalities.

“I don’t believe in whites. I would rather face a Filipino court. Even if I will not have a lawyer. Just me. And (the judge) can sentence me to death or reclusion perpetua. For as long as it is a Filipino court, I will abide by it,” Duterte said.

“I will not allow a foreigner to judge me for the things that I have to do during my time as president of this republic,” he added.

He asked the quad comm to create a “special court” that would try him.

“They don’t deserve to be Filipinos residing here. They are better off where they think the courts are good for them,” Duterte said, referring to critics and those who filed a case against him before the ICC.

Duterte said he would not surrender to foreign courts.

“I will not allow myself to be taken and be placed under the jurisdiction of any court. I am a Filipino. I will die a Filipino,” Duterte said.

“I will be jailed as a Filipino. For a competent judge, a competent prosecutor – and I have the defense counsel, like the one on my side and those at the back, they are all good – I know that I will be acquitted,” Duterte said, pointing to his lawyers, including his former chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo, former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea and his current legal counsel Martin Delgra.

Ready for ICC