ONE could really wonder why the family of former President Rodrigo Duterte is hating President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The President is perceived to be the only one who can help the Dutertes deal with the threat posed by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The ICC is trying to probe the former president for launching the drug war of the government during his reign in the country.

Many drug suspects were reportedly eliminated via extrajudicial killing in that campaign which draw the attention of ICC.

The possibility of being investigated by a world agency tasked to investigate and try individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community — genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity – appears to be sending chills to the bones of those behind the Philippine’s bloody war against illegal drugs.

Senator Bato Dela Rosa – the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) when ‘Oplan Tokhang’ was rolled out – admitted he fears the day he might get an arrest warrant from the ICC and be detained.

This came after Senator Antonio Trillanes divulged that the ICC has arrived in the country and is expected to issue warrants of arrest against Duterte and other respondents to the ICC investigation.

The senator even sought clarification from Marcos on reports that the ICC was allowed by the government to enter the country late in 2023.

However, Marcos belied the reports, saying the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines and that the government will not cooperate with its investigation.

Marco’s statements gave Bato a big sigh of relief. The senator later thanked the President’s reassurance.

While Bato seems to recognize Marco’s importance in keeping the ICC at bay, Duterte appears to be getting more corrosive on the President.

At a recent ‘prayer rally’ in Davao, Duterte said Marcos is a drug addict and thus has no place in Malacanang.

Duterte’s continuing tirades against Marcos stemmed from the flak received by his daughter Sara over the questionable intelligence funds of the agencies that she heads – the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

The former president could also be considering the Marcos administration as a stumbling block to the political ambitions of the Dutertes with Sara being eyed a presidential candidate in the 2028 elections.

But that’s still four long years away. Why worry about it when there’s a more pressing matter like the ICC probe.

Duterte’s son, Baste, who is now mayor of Davao City, joined his father in attacking Marcos during the prayer rally.

Saying Marcos is lazy and lacks compassion, Baste called on the President to step down – a move described by a labor group as ‘self serving’.

The call for Marcos’ resignation is self-serving because under the constitution, the vice president takes over when the president resigns.

So if Marcos steps down, Baste’s sister Sara – currently the vice president — could become president. Indeed a naked display of ‘self- interest’ as labor leader Leody De Guzman puts it.

Nevertheless, Baste made a quick apology afterwards through Marcos’ sister Senator Imee Marcos.

Maybe Baste realized his call was stupid because Marcos is the way out of the ICC dilemma.

In fairness to Sara, she has kept a friendly relationship with Marcos despite the escalating word war between his family and the President.

She said Baste’s statements against Marcos was just out of ‘brotherly love’.

The Vice President has no word about her father who is reportedly abusing a painkiller drug called fentanyl which is believed to be affecting his behavior.

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