De Lima hopes Marcos admin will work with ICC in drug war probe

Former Senator Leila de Lima expressed optimism on Friday the government will cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into the alleged human rights abuses committed under the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war. 

Speaking to journalist Malou Mangahas, de Lima said she hopes the ICC investigators will finally be allowed entry into the Philippines. 

“I hope that the current administration will do that — they will cooperate and they will allow the ICC probers to come in,” de Lima told The Mangahas Interviews. 

While their entry will ease the investigation, the former legislator said the international court may still expand the probe even outside the Philippines, which may involve contacting witnesses and filing depositions for them. 

“I think there has been an ongoing effort for that. Talking to witnesses, also depositions. There are certain steps being done by the investigators even if they have not yet physically accessed our country…But it would make their job easier if they are allowed entry,” she added. 

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra earlier reiterated that the Philippine government will not cooperate with the ICC, citing the administration’s stand that allowing the probe would be an admission that the legal and judicial system in the country was not functioning.

Guevarra made the remarks in response to reports quoting lawyers of de Lima that the former senator “will be very much interested” in cooperating with the ICC probe. 

“I can be a resource person. I can provide them some documents, some information that I obtained when I was also conducting my own investigation sa DDS (Davao Death Squad),” de Lima said. 

“There might be certain information na wala pa. I can help them in accessing other resource persons or witnesses in the investigation. In whatever capacity, I’m willing to cooperate and give assistance,” she said. 

The ICC has yet to communicate with the former legislator regarding the issue.

De Lima, a staunch critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte, was freed on bail on Monday after almost seven years in detention. This came after a Muntinlupa court allowed her to post bail in her remaining drug case.

Asked for her comment on the former President’s quip challenging the ICC to come to the Philippines for the probe, she answered: “Kasama lang sa usual braggadocio niya. Ganyan naman ‘yan, 'di ba? Sigurado kinakabahan din ‘yan”.

(It’s part of his usual braggadocio. He’s scared too, for sure.)

De Lima has been detained in Camp Crame since February 2017 during Duterte’s term over allegations of drug trade, which she has repeatedly denied.

Her first acquittal came in February 2021 when the Muntinlupa City RTC Branch 205 junked one of her three cases.

The Muntinlupa RTC Branch 204 on May 12 acquitted de Lima and Ronnie Dayan, her co-accused and former bodyguard, of an illegal drug trading charge on the grounds of reasonable doubt. 

In October 2022, de Lima also survived a hostage-taking incident inside the PNP Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

2,000 dispatches

Meanwhile, the former senator said she plans to publish her journal and the compilation of the 2,000 dispatches she has written while inside the detention facility. 

“Yes, my friends are urging me to do that,” she said. 

In 2018, de Lima received various distinctions including the prestigious Prize for Freedom award from Liberal International while in detention. 

She was also named the most distinguished human rights defender by Amnesty International.—Sundy Locus/LDF/KG, GMA Integrated News