Manila, May 9 -- The Department of Justice's (DOJ) move to prepare a legal brief for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. was just "standard procedure" to lay out his options over arrest warrants of the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Filipino nationals.

Presidential Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil said this in a statement on Thursday even as she added that the President's stance on the ICC issue "remains clear and consistent."

However, Garafil noted that it is the duty of the DOJ, as the government's principal law agency, "to explore all legal avenues and ensure that the President is fully informed of his options."

"This is standard procedure, not a change in position, ensuring that our administration remains prepared ...