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MALACAÑANG said on Tuesday that it is confident that the pending case against the government in the International Criminal Court (ICC), for allegedly allowing extrajudicial executions in its war on illegal drugs, will not prosper.
On Tuesday, it was reported that an ICC prosecutor found sufficient grounds for the indictment and is now pushing to formally launch an investigation into the government’s anti-drug campaign since President Duterte’s administration took office in 2016.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque called the pending ICC case “legally wrong” as the Philippines is allegedly no longer part of the Hague-based body’s jurisdiction, having formally withdrawn in 2019 its ratification of the Rome Statute, which created the ICC.
“They could do whatever they wanted. But we do not recognize the jurisdiction and decision of the ICC, ”said Roque.
He explained that this was supported by the previous ICC decision on the case brought against the United States for its alleged human rights violations in Afghanistan.
Rights groups salute the action
While the Palace ignored the latest development of the ICC, it was nevertheless well received by human rights defenders and labor groups.
In a statement, former head of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Loretta “Etta” Rosales said that the ICC’s full-blown investigation into extrajudicial executions will ultimately lead to the prosecution of the people behind them.
“Sir. Duterte thought that he could evade justice by doing everything possible to stop the ICC, removing our nation from its jurisdiction and harassing the delegations sent here. But all Duterte has done is show his fear of being finally subdued. to the law. Let this be an example of how nobody is above the law, “said Rosales.
The Nagkaisa trade union coalition echoed Rosales’ position and stated that it will also bring justice to labor leaders who were victims of alleged human rights violations by the government.
“It is these activists, trade unionists and reformers who have been the focus of government repression, not the thieves in power who have robbed Filipinos of a decent life for decades. We hope that the Duterte government will be held accountable for its crimes against the workers of the Philippines, ”Nagkaisa said in a statement.
