Carpio: Televised discussions in Quad Comm hearings can be submitted to ICC

The International Criminal Court (ICC) can make use of the testimonies and other relevant information in the House Quad Committee (Quad Comm) hearings in its investigation into the war on drugs of the Duterte administration, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Wednesday.

Carpio, however, said the transcript and video of the televised Quad Comm hearings should be officially submitted to the ICC so it may be included in the case build-up on crimes against humanity that happened during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

“Well, because televised naman 'yung QuadComm [the QuadComm is televised]—televised presentations, televised proceedings can be submitted,” the former justice told reporters.

“Katulad niyan [for example], President Duterte before was interviewed and he said, ‘Ako ang nag-order niyan [I ordered that].’ That's an admission, that's an extrajudicial confession, that's admissible,” he added.

The four House joint committees have been leading the hearings on crimes linked to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), drug war deaths, and illegal drug trade in the country.

Last week, former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office  (PCSO) general manager Royina Garma testified before the QuadComm that Duterte asked her to look for an officer who would implement the Davao model of the war on drugs on a national scale.

Garma, who previously served as police official in Cebu and Davao, said this system involves rewards, including prize money that ranged from P20,000 to P1 million, for drug suspects killed.

Following this, lawyer Kristina Conti, who is an ICC-accredited assistant to counsel, asked President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to submit Garma's  testimony to the ICC. 

Marcos, for his part, has been firm in his stance that he will not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC in the Philippines. The Palace has also maintained that the country will not return to the ICC.

Duterte pulled out the Philippines from the Hague-based tribunal's Rome Statute in 2018, with the withdrawal taking effect in 2019, after the ICC began a preliminary probe into the allegations of state-sanctioned killings in his war on drugs.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has announced it will reopen the investigation of several cold cases of local officials who were killed at the height of the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

In response, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Wednesday said Malacañang supports the possible reopening of such a probe. —RF, GMA Integrated News