Kin of EJK victims ask gov't to coordinate with ICC probe on Duterte drug war

The families of several victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK) appealed to a House panel on Wednesday for the government to coordinate with the  International Criminal Court (ICC) probe into the alleged crimes against humanity under the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war.

Christine Pascual, mother of EJK victim Joshua Laxamana, called on the House committee on human rights as she seeks justice for her son, who died in an alleged police encounter in 2018.

Joshua was supposed to participate in a network game competition in Baguio City when he was held at a checkpoint for matching a burglar’s physical appearance. Police claimed that instead of stopping, he allegedly fought back.

“Paano po kami hihiling ng hustisya sa ICC? Sana maramdaman nyo po bilang ina kami,” Pascual said in Tina Panganiban-Perez’s report on 24 Oras on Wednesday.

(How can we ask for justice from the ICC. We hope you can feel our pain as mothers.)

“Paano naghirap sa pinalaki mong bata nang maayos, ‘di po ba? Ang masaklap pa po, pinatay na, pinaratangan pa ng kung anu-ano. Yun po ang masakit doon eh, yung may drugs, nanlaban,” Pascual added.

(We worked hard to raise our children properly, didn't we? What made it worse, they were not only killed but they were also accused of being involved in illegal drugs and made to look like they fought with police.)

Dahlia Cuartero — mother of EJK victim Jesus Cuartero — made a similar appeal to the House lawmakers. Her son died in a buy-bust operation despite not being included in the drug watchlist.

“Wala kaming pag-asa. Para bang ganoon na lang kadali kunin ang buhay ng anak ko? Sana rin po sa pamamagitan ng hearing na ito ay masuportahan ang ICC na papanagutin si Duterte,” said Cuartero.

(We have no hope. Is it that easy for them to take away our son from us. We hope that through this hearing, we can support the ICC in making Duterte accountable.)

Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante responded to the victims’ kin that the House probe is an “independent” investigation.

“Hindi kami nakikipag-ugnay sa ICC. Wala pong pakialam sa ICC at walang pakialam ang ICC sa komiteng ito. Hindi kami kontrolado ng ICC. Independent po itong ginagawa natin dito,” the committee chairperson said.

(We are not coordinating with the ICC.The ICC has no connection with this investigation, the same way this committee has no business with them. The ICC does not control us. We are independently pursuing this.)

The House panel began its inquiry into alleged EJKs under the bloody drug war on Wednesday. During the seven-hour hearing, lawyer Chel Diokno disclosed that over 20,000 people were killed in the war on drugs based on the 2017 year-end accomplishment report of the Duterte administration.

The committee also issued a  show cause order against Police Major General Romeo Caramat Jr., the former chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and currently the acting area commander of Northern Luzon, for failing to attend the hearing.

Meanwhile, Kabataan party-list lawmaker Raoul Manuel said Duterte and senator and former head of the Philippine National Police Ronald dela Rosa should also be invited to the hearing. Abante said they will be “informed” of the schedule but it would be up to them whether to attend or not.

More than 6,000 people died in former President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign, but rights groups say that up to 30,000 may have been killed.—Sundy Locus/RF, GMA Integrated News