Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will withdraw from the International Criminal Court's (ICC) Rome Statute, officials say, due to what he said were attacks by United Nations officials and violations of due process by the ICC.
The ICC on February 8 started a preliminary examination of a complaint filed by a Philippine lawyer accusing Duterte and top officials of crimes against humanity committed during a war on drugs that has killed thousands of people.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque confirmed in a text message to reporters that the Philippines was withdrawing, as stated in a 15-page statement dated March 13 seen by reporters, which said the withdrawal was "effective immediately".
The statement had not been signed by Duterte, but presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo confirmed it was authentic.
It said the withdrawal from the Rome Statue was due to the "baseless, unprecedented and outrageous attacks on my person as well as against my administration" by UN officials, and what he said was an attempt by the ICC prosecutor to seek jurisdiction over him "in violation of due process and presumption of innocence".
ICC prosecutors could not immediately be reached for comment.
The bloodshed during the war on drugs, Duterte's signature policy, has caused international alarm and fierce criticism from several UN human rights officials.
But the maverick former mayor hit back strongly and refused to change his approach, or accept that police may have executed suspected dealers, as activists allege.
Police said they have killed about 4100 drug dealers in shootouts during official operations. They said they had no ties to unidentified armed men who killed as many as 2300 drug users and peddlers.
Duterte had initially dared the ICC to indict him, saying he was willing to rot in jail to save Filipinos from drugs, which he said were destroying his country. He even said he would prefer a firing squad than life in jail.
He has, however, changed his tune in recent weeks, telling security forces not to cooperate should there be any international investigation.
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