MANILA – The Philippines continues to be a sovereign state, Malacañang stated on Thursday, dismissing assertions that the nation has relinquished its independence following formerly
President Rodrigo Duterte’s extradition to the International Criminal Court (ICC)
.

“We had no intention of becoming a province under anyone since we are an independent nation,” stated Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Secretary Claire Castro, according to reports from the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Her comments came as a reply to Senator Imee Marcos, who queried if the Philippines had turned into a “province of The Hague.”

At a Senate hearing regarding Duterte’s arrest, Marcos showed his concern about the administration’s choice to permit “non-members” to be responsible for the previous leader.

Malacañang asserted that the administration was merely adhering to the law and meeting its duties as outlined within the recognized legal structures.

Castro went on to clarify that the government was operating under Republic Act (RA) 9851. This legislation empowers officials to hand over or extradite suspected persons in the Philippines to the relevant international tribunal.

Duterte is dealing with accusations at the International Criminal Court (ICC) related to potential crimes against humanity connected to his anti-drug campaign. This period of controversy spans from 1 November 2011 through 16 March 2019.

Currently, he is being held at the ICC Detention Centre in The Hague, Netherlands, and is scheduled to face an international court on September 23 for the confirmation of charges against him. – BERNAMA-PNA