ICC a tool of the West – expert
The pursuit and arrest of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant proves that the Hague-based court is a “weapon of Western influence,” Duane Dizon, a geopolitics and economics expert at BRICS TV and the Russian journal Contemporary World Economy has told RT.
Duterte, 79 was arrested at Manila’s international airport on Tuesday and taken into custody by police on orders from the ICC. Duterte is accused of crimes against humanity linked to a ‘war on drugs’ during his presidency.
Speaking to RT Dizon said that the ICC’s actions were “more about asserting clout than accountability.”
“The ICC has consistently shown a pattern of targeting leaders from developing nations while giving powerful Western countries a free pass” to control “weaker” nations, he said, adding that this could drive a “deeper wedge” between Southeast Asia and the West.
Human rights advocates have condemned the arrest as unlawful, pointing out that the Philippines formally withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under Duterte’s directive.
The ICC claims it can retain jurisdiction over alleged crimes that may have taken place while the country was a signatory to the court.
The court launched a preliminary probe into Duterte’s anti-drug campaign in 2018. Duterte has denied wrongdoing but admitted the crackdown was not bloodless. Official reports indicate that around 6,200 people were killed during police operations though observers suggest that the figure could be much higher.
On Sunday, Duterte told his supporters “if that’s my fate, that’s fine I will accept it. We can’t do anything if I’m arrested or imprisoned.”
According to Dizon, the former president’s arrest proves that the court exists to “undermine independent leadership,” prompting other nations to seek stronger ties with non-Western powers like China and Russia.
Established to prosecute grave crimes, the ICC has faced persistent criticism for its disproportionate focus on developing nations, particularly, on Africa, with many accusing it of neo-colonialism and selective justice, serving Western interests rather than impartial law.
The ICC’s authority is also compromised by the absence of major powers such as the US, Russia, and China from its jurisdiction.
