Outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte says goodbye to successor President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr after the departure honors at the Malacanang Palace on June 30, 2022. King Rodriguez, Presidential Photo/File

MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s position on the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) probe on the Duterte administration’s drug war has not changed, Malacañang said Thursday.

READ: DOJ to brief Marcos on possible Duterte arrest, PH return to ICC

This, amid reports that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing a briefer on the possible arrest of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. 

In a statement, Presidential Communication Secretary Cheloy Garafil said that the Justice Department’s move does not signal a change in the President’s stance, but is merely a standard procedure to ensure that the administration is ready for any scenario. 

“The President's stance on the ICC remains clear and consistent,” Garafil said. 

“However, it is the duty of the Department of Justice to explore all legal avenues and ensure that the President is fully informed of his options. This is standard procedure, not a change in position, ensuring that our administration remains prepared for any scenario.”

READ: Marcos says will not hand Duterte to ICC over drug war 

Marcos has repeatedly stated that his administration will not cooperate in the ICC’s drug war probe, as he maintains that the court does not have jurisdiction over the Philippines.