Davao City Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte claimed in a statement posted on February 28 on his Facebook page that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has turned “blind, deaf, and mute” regarding the military confrontation between Iran and the combined forces of the United States and Israel, noting the lack of emergency statements or urgency to assert jurisdiction. He compared this to the ICC’s alleged delay in addressing the situation in Palestine, where people have endured mass killings, displacement, and the destruction of civilian life. Duterte criticized the ICC for hesitating and hiding behind legal technicalities while acting swiftly in the case of his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte. However, this claim is misleading. The ICC issued an arrest warrant on November 21, 2024, against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Palestine. The Pre-Trial Chamber I also rejected Israel’s challenge to the ICC’s jurisdiction, noting that Palestine’s acceptance of the Rome Statute grants jurisdiction over crimes committed on its territory. Despite the warrants, Netanyahu has not been arrested, as the ICC relies on state cooperation for enforcement. Hungary, an ICC member, refused to arrest Netanyahu during his April 2025 visit, leading to Hungary’s announcement of withdrawal from the ICC, which takes effect in June 2026. MindaNews encourages fact-checking leads from the public. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno / MindaNews)
