Vice President Leni Robredo on Tuesday opposed the plan of a lawmaker to file a second complaint against President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Tingin ko hindi natin mahihinto kahit sino na gusto mag-avail ng mga prosesong available. Pero siyempre sa atin, bilang bansa, mas gusto natin na ni-reresolve natin iyong mga problema on our own” Robredo said during a clean-up drive at a school in Quezon City.
Robredo said Philippines must show that its institutions can solve local issues.
“Isa naman tayong sovereign na bansa kaya mahalaga din na ipakita ng ating institusyon na hindi niya isinasantabi iyong mga reklamo ng sambayanan para hindi kinakailangan ng maghahanap ng recourse sa iba,” she said.
(We are a sovereign country that’s why it’s important to show that we’re not bypassing our institutions when we’re dealing with the complaints of our citizens. We shouldn’t have to look for recourse elsewhere)
“Iyung ideal, nagwo-work iyong institutions natin at umaasa tayo at nagtitiwala na iyong mga reklamo ng bawat isa natutugunan ng institusyon.”
(The ideal thing is that our institutions work and we are able to rely on and believe that they can deal with the needs of our people)
Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano on Monday said he will urge his allies to support an ICC complaint against Duterte after the House of Representatives rejected the impeachment complaint he filed against the President.
Alejano added there was no other Philippine institution that could hold Duterte accountable for allegedly concealing assets, supporting summary executions of thousands of Filipinos in his war on drugs, and having a “defeatist” approach towards Beijing’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.
The Vice President said she was uncertain on whether Alejano’s plans to raise the issue to the ICC will prosper.
This article first appeared on ABS-CBN News and is re-published with permission.
