Marcos' ICC cooperation on Duterte probe urged anew

Makabayan bloc lawmakers filed a House resolution urging the Marcos administration to cooperate in the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation on the alleged crimes against humanity committed during the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign.

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers party-list, House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas of Gabriela party-list, and Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel made the call under House Resolution 1393 in light of Duterte’s recent SMNI interview. 

“With former President Rodrigo Duterte's televised admission of ordering extrajudicial killings and financing them with his confidential and intelligence funds, it is imperative that we allow the ICC to investigate his crimes," Castro said.

Makabayan's resolution stated that “this revelation further justifies the call to allow the ICC to investigate the alleged crime against humanity of former President Duterte in order to give justice to thousands of Filipinos killed in Davao City and numerous parts of the country.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in July that his administration would end further engagement with the ICC after it rejected the Philippine government's appeal to stop the ICC prosecutor's investigation of crimes against humanity allegedly committed by former President Duterte in the drug war.

Makabayan, however, argued that the government should not turn a blind eye to the supposed impunity.

"We urge the House leadership to support and co-author this resolution to show that we do not tolerate extrajudicial killings and that we are working for justice to be served to his victims,and their families,” said Castro.

“Justice is long overdue and should not be further delayed. Now therefore, be it resolved, that the House of Representatives, through this Resolution, express its sense urging the Philippine government to cooperate with the investigation of the International Criminal Court on the alleged crime against humanity committed in the Duterte administration's bloody war on drugs campaign,” added Makabayan.

GMA News Online has sought comment from former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea about the Makabayan’s Resolution, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

Under the drug war, at least 6,200 suspects were killed in police operations based on government records. Human rights groups, however, claimed the actual death toll could be from 12,000 to 30,000.

In 2019, the Philippines, under then-President Duterte, withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, after the tribunal began a preliminary probe into his administration’s drug war, followed by the launch of a formal inquiry later that year.

In 2021, the Supreme Court (SC) said the Philippines has the obligation to cooperate with the ICC despite its withdrawal from the Rome Statute. —VAL, GMA Integrated News