MANILA, Philippines — The conviction of four police officers for the killing of a father and son during former president Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs in 2016 is proof that the Philippines' judicial system is not only "functioning but robust as well," former Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Wednesday.

In a statement, Panelo said the conviction also debunked claims by detractors of the previous administration that Duterte has not prosecuted errant law enforcers but instead protected them.

"The prosecution of the four convicted policemen was initiated and commenced and pursued vigorously by the Duterte administration," said Panelo, who was Duterte's chief presidential legal counsel.

"While FPRRD (former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte) committed to help the policemen who would be judicially charged for the deaths of those subjects of police operation who performed their duties in accordance with law — he was equally assertive and steadfast in his resolve to put behind bars those who abuse their authority and caused the deaths or injuries to the victims in violation of law," he said.

Panelo said the conviction also "repudiated the theory falsely foisted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) that the Philippines is incapable of prosecuting those committing crimes against humanity or having the capacity to prosecute them refuses to do so.

"Hence its insistence of acquiring jurisdiction over the Philippines despite the latter's withdrawal as a member thereof, plus the fact that the prosecutorial and judicial is thoroughly operating," Panelo said.

"The conviction also validates the correct foreign policy of PBBM (President Bongbong Marcos Jr.) as regards to the ICC's attempt at assaulting the country's sovereignty that the Philippines will not cooperate 'in whatever form or shape' with the ICC in its inordinate desire to prosecute the officials of the previous administration in connection with the so-called extra judicial killings," he added. The ICC is the International Criminal Court.

On Tuesday, Judge Ma. Rowena Violago Alejandria of the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 121 found M/ Sgt. Virgilio Cervantes, as well as Corporals Arnel de Guzman, Johnston Alacre and Artemio Saguros guilty of homicide for the death of Luis Bonifacio and his son Gabriel.

The policemen were sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. The court also ordered them to pay the victims' heirs P400,000 for actual, moral, temperate and civil damages.

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