ICC Appeals Chamber allows prosecutor to continue investigating war vs drugs
The International Criminal Court (ICC) Appeals Chamber has allowed its prosecutor to continue investigating the war against drugs during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
News reports said Tuesday that this could result in possible trials of officials said to be involved in the drug war which reportedly killed thousands.
The Philippines appealed the decision of the ICC on March.
The Office of the Solicitor General ''expressed its disappointment'' over the decision of the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court, government television said.
Its lawyer, Sarah Bafadhel, said if summons or warrants will be released, the Philippines can argue that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines as it has withdrawn from the Rome Statute.
The ICC has no police powers or law enforcers to execute warrants, added Bafadhel, according to government television.
On Monday, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said: “We are no longer members of the ICC. So my concern is not too much on the ICC. We follow the principle of committee by appealing to them not to interfere with our legal system.”
Remulla dismissed ICC’s decision to investigate former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs as a political move.
In a statement, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers said the decision “built confidence with those victimized by the widespread and systematic killings under the ‘war on drugs’ of the Duterte administration.”
“Victims of the drug-war killings and their advocates are ready to cooperate with the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) as it pushes forward,” it said.
The group said families of victims engaging with the ICC have called “for others left behind by the drug-war killings and other crimes under the ‘war on drugs’ policy to come forward.''
Human Rights Watch said in a statement that ''the ICC appeals' ruling marks the next step toward justice for victims and their families.''
''The Marcos administration should follow through on its international legal obligation to cooperate with the court's investigation,'' Human Rights Watch added. DMS
