His critics may try to hale him to the international court over the drug-related killings but President Duterte ruled out any chance of facing trial abroad.

The President declared Thursday that he was not stupid to let the "animals" in the international court put him on trial.

"Mga ulol kayo. Pati ako i-demanda nila, 'yong International Court of Justice dahil doon sa Hague, it's in Europe (You're crazy. They tried to sue me before the International Court of Justice based in the Hague, it's in Europe)," Duterte said during the government assembly on efforts to address the local armed communist conflict in Leyte.

"Ngayon, gusto nila ako magharap doon. Ano ako, gago? (Now they want me to face trial there? Do you think I'm stupid?)" he added.

Duterte has refused to recognize the jurisdiction of the international court, saying he would only face trial in the country.

"Magharap ako ng korte na ang judge Pilipino (I will only face the court where the judge is a Filipino)" he said.

"Hindi man ako magharap doon sa mga animal na 'yan. Wala naman akong... Sabi ko, not in a million years (I will not face those animals. I said not in a million years," he said.

The President made the comment shortly after criticizing the human rights groups for supposedly dwelling on the number of slain drug suspects instead of their victims. He told them that there were "two sides of the coin."

Duterte, who vowed an unrelenting anti-drug crackdown, explained that he warned those who will destroy the nation with illegal drugs.

"Galit na galit talaga ako sa droga. Do not destroy my country. Do not destroy our daughters and sons. Kung ayaw mong mamatay, drop. Bitawan mo ang shabu (I really hate drugs. Do not destroy my country. Do not destroy our daughters and son. If you don't want to die, drop the shabu)," he said.

"Kasi pag-abot natin kung magka-engkwentro tayo diyan sa corner, patay ka talaga. Ganyan ako katindi sa droga na iyan (Because if I catch you and engage in an encounter in a corner, you will really die. That's how I hate drugs)," he said.

Duterte launched an aggressive campaign against the illegal trade since the start of his term in 2016. The anti-drug crackdown however drew criticisms from groups here and abroad for the alleged extrajudicial killings and other abuses.

In December 2020, the International Criminal Court's prosecutor claimed there was reasonable basis to believe crimes against humanity were committed in the war on drugs.

Recently, the Supreme Court junked a petition seeking to nullify the country's pullout from the ICC. The decision recognized that the President is the primary architect of the country's foreign policy.

The Palace has lauded the SC decision and told the ICC to stop its probe on Duterte since it has no jurisdiction over the country.

In 2018, Duterte withdrew the country’s membership from the Rome Statute that created ICC due to alleged violations of due process amid the probe on his drug war. He said the Rome Statute, ratified by the Senate in 2011, was not enforceable in the country since it was not published in the Official Gazette, a legal requirement before a law takes effect.

The country's withdrawal from the Hague court was made official in March 2019.

Duterte, who has brushed aside allegations of human rights abuses in his drug war, has dismissed the ICC as an "idiotic court.”