Philippine's Rodrigo Duterte slammed the EU-backed international criminal court as a bunch of 'white idiots'
- Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte slammed the International Criminal Court, who are leading an investigation into his bloody war on drugs, as it is part of the "white idiots in the EU."
- Duterte urged other nations to "get out" of their membership with the ICC because it is a "rude" organization.
- The ICC began an examination last month into deaths linked to Duterte's war on drugs, which, by some estimates, has killed more than 12,000 people.
Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday slammed the International Criminal Court (ICC), who are leading an investigation into his bloody war on drugs, as it is part of the "white idiots in the EU."
Speaking at the Philippine Military Academy, Duterte said that the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, was "bull," and contributed to his decision to formally withdraw from the organization last week, though the withdrawal will only take effect one year after the request.
In Sunday's speech, Duterte said the ICC was a part of "white idiots in the EU" who are seeking to "atone" for their past actions.
He also urged other nations to "get out" of their membership with the ICC, because it is a "rude" organization.
"These people when they went to Africa, they killed the Arabs … it is really an atonement for their sins. And then they run after either the blacks, when there are so many problems, but they still meddle," Duterte said.
More than 120 nations are part of the ICC, an international tribunal at The Hague that prosecutes individuals for crimes against humanity.
The ICC began an examination last month into deaths linked to Duterte's war on drugs, which, by some estimates, has killed more than 12,000 people.
The notoriously outspoken Duterte has said "not in a million years" does ICC have the right to indict him for war crimes.
Duterte has also publicly criticized the UN Commission on Human Rights and the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard, who he said he would "slap" if she began a separate UN investigation into Duterte's extrajudicial killings.
The Philippine leader has urged his personnel not to cooperate with any investigation into his war on drugs. Human rights groups have said many of the killings by police have been executions, an allegation which law enforcement deny.