Coalition launches ‘independent, people-led’ probe of human rights violations in Philippines

A coalition of international human rights, faith, and civic groups on Thursday announced it is conducting an "independent, people-led" investigation of human rights violations in the Philippines.

The Independent International Commission of Investigation into Human Rights Violations in the Philippines, or Investigate PH, said it aims to further substantiate the United Nations human rights office's report on the rights situation in the country earlier this year.

The commission said it intends to present its findings to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and UN bodies like the Human Rights Council, the Security Council, and the General Assembly.

The announcement came a day after the ICC said it has seen "reasonable basis" to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed in President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-illegal drug campaign.

"The Office is satisfied that information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that the crimes against humanity of murder, torture, and the infliction of serious physical injury and mental harm as other inhumane acts were committed on the territory of the Philippines between at least July 1, 2016 and March 16, 2019 in connection to the WoD campaign launched throughout the country," the ICC's Office of the Prosecutor said in its latest report.

The administration has repeatedly claimed the ICC has no jurisdiction over Duterte and cannot hear the allegations because there are supposedly enough domestic mechanisms for redress.

The ICC's Office of the Prosecutor has conducted its preliminary examination of the allegations even after Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the tribunal's establishing treaty, the Rome Statute.

Investigate PH said its investigation will be done through both virtual and physical fact-findings.

"This is most definitely a global issue. The world community has a responsibility to speak up and seek the truth," former Australian senator Lee Rhiannon, a high-level commissioner of Investigate PH, said.

“We must not allow the call for human rights be hijacked. Accountability must be a part of the justice and democratic system," he added.

Investigate PH said it is an initiative of global organizations, religious, legal, trade union and political leaders, and civil society. — BM, GMA News