MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday reiterated his position not to allow any international body to investigate the killings under his anti-narcotics crackdown.

While Duterte did not initially name the International Criminal Court, which is looking into alleged crimes against humanity in his drug war, he said rights advocates "want me to go to prison."

"Well maybe, but it has to be a Philippine prison, and I must be judged by a judicial court of the Republic of the Philippines," he said during the inauguration of a port project in Palawan.

"Ano bang problema nila? Bakit sila pumunta dito? ...Mag-ice na ang impyerno, hindi ako papayagan d’yan sa kalokohan nila."

(What is their problem? Why did they come here? Hell could freeze, but I would not allow that nonsense.)

Duterte later directly mentioned the ICC at a second event in the province.

"Itong ICC, gusto akong ikulong... Pilipino ako, tapos dalhin mo ako doon? Mga puti iyon, loko. Magrebelde na lang ako, magpatayan tayo. Ako, sigurado ako wala silang jurisdiction sa akin," he said during a meeting of the regional anti-communist task force.

(This ICC wants to jail me. I am a Filipino, then you'll bring me there? They are all Caucasians. I'd rather become a rebel, then let us kill each other. I am sure they have no jurisdiction over me.)

The Duterte administration has argued the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines because the President in 2018 withdrew the country from the treaty that created the tribunal.

• SC: President has no ‘unbridled authority’ to withdraw from ICC treaty but junks petitions questioning it
• Duterte calls ICC drug probe ‘bulls**t’, says he won’t defend self before ‘white people’

The ICC says it retains jurisdiction over the Philippines from July 2016, when President Rodrigo Duterte took office, until March, 2019, when the country’s departure from the Rome Statute took effect.

"If you insist on prosecuting me... walang mangyari (nothing will happen)," Duterte said, addressing the ICC.

"Manigas na kayo (just drop dead)," he added.

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Video courtesy of PTV