Robredo: Premature to talk on info vs. Duterte at ICC

Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday said it is premature to comment on the “complaint” against President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Robredo declined to comment on the details of the said information, submitted to the ICC by Jude Sabio, lawyer of self-confessed hitman and Davao Death Squad member Edgar Matobato.

She noted that such is not a complaint yet, but a "communication" asking the international court's prosecutor to investigate.

She added that it would be more prudent to comment on it once the ICC prosecutor deems it right to file a formal complaint.

“Kaya sinasabi kong parang premature para pag-usapan kasi unang una, hindi pa naman… parang wala pang aksyon. Wala pang aksyon ‘yung prosecutor kung bibigyan niya ng saysay ‘yung hinihinging imbestigasyon,” she said in an interview in Nueva Ecija.

“Palagay ko kung meron ng findings ‘yung prosecutor at meron nang complaint na iaangat, parang mas nasa posisyon na tayong magkomento,” she added.

The Vice President, who recently went under fire for her controversial video message discussing irregularities in the drug war, noted that it would be better if issues like this are resolved locally.

She recognized, however, the call of others that the international court has to step in.

“Siyempre tayo, lalong tayo na public officials sa Pilipinas, parang mas ninanais natin na tayo sana ‘yung mag-resolve ng mga problema sa atin. Pero meron namang ipinaglalaban na kaya nag-file ng kaso kasi hindi natin nireresolbahan on our own,” she said.

In the 77-page complaint, Sabio said that Duterte “repeatedly, unchangingly and continuously” committed crimes against humanity and that under him, killing drug suspects and other criminals has become “best practice.”

Sabio serves as legal counsel for Matobato, a man who has testified in the Senate that he was part of a hit squad that operated on Duterte’s orders.

It is the first publicly known communication to the ICC against Duterte and is based on the testimony of Matobato and retired policeman Arturo Lascanas, reports from rights groups and media reports, including a Reuters series on the killings.

The complaint alleges that Duterte and at least 11 senior government officials are liable for murder and calls for an investigation, arrest warrants and a trial.

Sabio also included in the complaint top officials of the government, including Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, for allegedly contributing, in one way or another, to the commission or attempted commission of a crime. — RSJ, GMA News