Philippines' Duterte ready to "face the music" as ICC forges ahead with probe

FILE PHOTO: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he delivers a speech during an awarding ceremony for outstanding Filipinos and organizations overseas, at the Malacanang Palace in Manila, Philippines December 19, 2016. REUTERS/Ezra Acayan

MANILA (Reuters) - Former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday defended the bloody crackdown on drugs that defined his presidency and said he was ready to "face the music", as the International Criminal Court investigates thousands of killings on his watch.

Duterte, whose presidency ended last year, told a gathering of prosecutors: "I did what I had to do. If it turns out to be awful later, we can't do anything about it."