HRC urges government to ‘acknowledge’ the ICC prosecutor’s observations on the war on drugs

MANILA – The Commission on Human Rights (HRC) said Wednesday that the Philippine government must “acknowledge” the report by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe in the flagship anti-drug campaign. of President Rodrigo Duterte engendered crimes against humanity.

In a statement, the CHR said that it “takes note” of the report by the ICC Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, which stated that her office “is convinced that the information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that crimes against humanity. .. were committed on the territory of the Philippines … in connection with the [war on drugs]. “

The report was downplayed by Malacañang, who said the court would waste resources if it continues its investigation into the war on drugs.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the ICC had no jurisdiction over the Philippines after its removal from the body last year.

But the CHR urged the government to “recognize and address” the report, as part of its duty to defend the country’s human rights.

“[The] The HRC urges the government to recognize and address the ICC’s observations, regarding its findings, and calls for greater transparency and accountability from the government in the movement to provide redress for cases of human rights violations, “the constitutional body said.

The CHR added that they will cooperate in their ability to seek justice for the victims of the controversial war on drugs.

“The Commission will continue to cooperate with existing national and international protection mechanisms to ensure that human rights violations are addressed and that perpetrators are held accountable for human rights violations,” he said.

Duterte and his aides have repeatedly denied rights violations in the war on drugs, saying the drug suspects were killed because they resisted arrest.

The latest official government tally showed that 5,942 people died during anti-drug operations from July 1, 2016, to October 31, 2020.

However, various human rights groups say thousands more were killed in alleged extrajudicial killings.

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