Jail me, hang me: Philippines' Duterte says won't answer to ICC

(Contains language in paragraph 4 that may offend some readers)
MANILA, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte dared the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday
to jail him or hang him over alleged extrajudicial killings in
his war on drugs, but said he would refuse to cooperate with
foreigners if put on trial.
His remarks were the latest vows of defiance against the
court in The Hague that has yet to decide whether to investigate
him over thousands of deaths in his crackdown, during which
activists say crimes against humanity were committed.
"You do not scare me that you will jail me in the
International Criminal Court. I will never allow myself to
answer these whites," Duterte said in a speech to military
cadets and reservists.
"I will never, never, never answer any question coming from
you. It's bullshit to me. I am only responsible to the Filipino.
Filipinos will judge."
"He added: "And if you hang me for all what I did, go ahead.
It will be my pleasure."
Duterte has also blasted the United Nations after its human
rights body approved a resolution in July to investigate alleged
abuses in the Philippines.
The maverick former mayor has repeatedly taunted the ICC
and threatened to slap or arrest its prosecutor, who in February
2018 announced a preliminary examination was being conducted
into the drugs killings.
Duterte, 74, responded by unilaterally cancelling his
country's membership of the court a month later, without
legislative approval, saying it had deprived him of a
presumption of innocence. Amnesty International called his move
"misguided" and "cowardly".
The ICC's prosecutor says jurisdiction applies to crimes
committed while a country is a member.
In a scheduled Dec. 5 report on its activities worldwide,
the ICC said it had "significantly advanced" its examination and
aimed to finalise it in 2020, then decide whether to seek a
formal investigation.
Human rights groups say Duterte's anti-drugs crackdown had
led to systematic executions and police cover-ups. Police reject
that and say the nearly 7,000 people they have killed were armed
drug suspects who resisted arrest.