Hitting out at what he said was an international effort to paint him as a “ruthless and heartless violator of human rights”, Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC’s Rome Statute a month ago and promised to continue his crackdown on drugs, in which thousands have been killed.
Duterte has cited numerous reasons why he believes the ICC has no jurisdiction over him, and on Friday suggested that any doubts about that should have been dispelled by his withdrawal.
“What is your authority now? If we are not members of the treaty, why are you ... in this country?,” told reporters, in comments aimed at Bensouda.
“You cannot exercise any proceedings here without basis. That is illegal and I will arrest you.”
It is not clear whether Bensouda or the ICC has carried out any activities in the Philippines related to the complaint against Duterte.
ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in February announced the start of a preliminary examination into a complaint by a Philippine lawyer which accuses Duterte and top officials of crimes against humanity, and of killing criminals as a policy.
The office of the prosecutor in The Hague and the Philippine foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Police have since July 2016 killed more than 4,000 people they say are drug dealers who resisted arrest. Activists say many of those were executions, which police deny.
Under the Rome Statute, the ICC can step in and exercise jurisdiction if states are unable or unwilling to investigate suspected crimes.
But the mercurial former mayor and his legal aides argue that technically, the Philippines never actually joined the ICC, because it was not announced in the country’s official gazette.
