The Philippines‘ government announced on Thursday that it will not cooperate with an ICC investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte’s infamous war on drugs, and will not allow any investigators in.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday approved a formal investigation into Duterte’s bloody campaign, in which thousands of suspected drug traffickers have died, many of whom were executed by police, according to activists who claim that law enforcement agencies have killed with the tacit support of the President.
While Duterte and his police commanders claim the deaths were self-defense, the Philippines’ government believes the ICC has no power to interfere in domestic affairs.
“The Philippines is the best place to file grievances because our courts are up and running. There is no jurisdiction for the ICC to exist “Harry Roque, the president’s spokesman, stated at a press conference.
When we signed up for the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court; we didn’t give up our sovereignty or jurisdiction.
According to official figures, security personnel has killed 6,100 people, mostly alleged drug dealers, since Duterte assumed office in mid-2016.
Human rights groups claim that thousands of more people have been murdered in slum areas; usually by unknown gunmen who have never been apprehended, and they suspect the police of being involved. That assertion has been refuted by the authorities.
The judges in The Hague said on Wednesday that the anti-drug campaign “cannot be considered as a legitimate law enforcement operation,” but rather as a systematic attack on civilians, based on the evidence presented by the prosecution.
In a statement issued on Thursday; Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo warned that ICC investigators would not be allowed entry into the country. Lawyers for the victims, on the other hand, claim that virtual interviews are possible.
A member state cannot or will not prosecute war crimes, genocide, or crimes against humanity in their own courts, therefore the ICC steps in.
He has dared the International Criminal Court (ICC) to put him on trial; saying publicly that he would “rot in jail” if found guilty of killing individuals who sought to destroy the Philippines.
However, he unilaterally revoked the Philippines’ membership in the ICC in March 2018; a month after its prosecutor announced that a preliminary investigation into the country’s drug war was started. According to the ICC; it can conduct investigations into crimes committed when the Philippines was a member until 2019.
As Duterte prepares to leave office next year; the investigation comes at a pivotal time.
He’s said he’ll run for vice president; and his daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, a mayor, has been widely tipped as a possible successor — steps critics say are meant to shield him from criminal prosecution, whether at home or abroad.
Analyst Temario Rivera said Mayor Sara’s candidacy is “his best option.”