Bato: ICC prosecutor Khan ‘open-minded, fair’ unlike Bensouda

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said on Sunday that International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Karim Khan was "open-minded"—unlike, he claimed, his predecessor Fatou Bensouda—for temporarily suspending the ICC's probe into President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war.

On Friday, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor suspended the investigation into the Duterte administration’s alleged crimes against humanity through its campaign against illegal drugs. This was made after the Philippines requested the ICC to defer to its government's investigation of these alleged rights violations.

“That’s an indication na itong bagong prosecutor na ito ay medyo open-minded hindi kagaya nung si Fatou Bensouda na sarado ang utak. Ewan ko kung bakit sarado ang utak niyan at disiplinado talaga siya na mas marami pa naman siyang priority dapat na imbestigahan na totoong may crimes against humanity na nangyayari,” he said.

(That’s an indication that the new prosecutor is open-minded unlike Fentou Bensouda. I don’t know why she is close-minded and very disciplined when there are other countries where she should focus on where there really are crimes against humanity.)

“Bakit Pilipinas ang unahin niya? Wala namang nangyayaring crimes against humanity rito. Ibig sabihin, kung pinagbigyan ng prosecutor na ‘yan, open-minded siya, may fairness siya, hindi siya sarado ang utak katulad ni Bensouda.”

(Why would she initially investigate the Philippines? There’s no crimes against humanity happening here. This means that the prosecutor who approved [the suspension] is open-minded and fair unlike Bensouda.)

Dela Rosa served as the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief when Duterte was elected into office in 2016 and implemented the Oplan Tokhang as part of the administration’s  anti-illegal drugs campaign.

He has expressed apprehension about the ICC investigation.

Asked if he would cooperate if the ICC resumes with the investigation, Dela Rosa said, “Alangan mag-sariling stand ako diba eh ayaw ng gobyerno natin na pumasok sila dito para mag-imbestiga. So, ayaw ko rin na pumasok sila dito para mag-imbestiga.”

(I shouldn't have my own stand when the government itself doesn't want the ICC to come here and investigate. So I also don't want them to come here to investigate.)

Duterte earlier said that this ICC investigation is making Dela Rosa nervous,  which the latter acknowledged on November 2.

“Hindi ako worried, concerned lang. Ako concerned lang ako dahil ibang animal itong haharapin ko, hindi ito mga Filipino prosecutors. Hindi ito mga Filipino judges kundi mga puti ito, mga itim ito, kung ano man mga taong ito. Hindi ito Filipino, walang alam ito sa totoong nangyayari sa Pilipinas,” he said.

(I’m not worried, just concerned because this is a different animal I would be facing. They are not Filipino prosecutors and judges but white or black people. They are not Filipinos and have no idea of what really is happening here in the Philippines.)

Dela Rosa however emphasized that the drug war has been “very successful” and he has no regrets with the implementations, but would adjust a few if given a chance.

“Ginawa namin ito hindi para sa sarili naming interest kasi ginawa namin ito para i-save ang mga anak ninyo doon sa threat ng droga. Sinave namin ang mga anak ninyo para hindi maging biktima ng problema sa droga.”

(We did this not for our own interest but to save your children so they won’t be victims of illegal drugs.)

“Ironic” incident

In response to this, Bayan Muna representative Carlos Zarate said that it is part of the due process of the ICC to allow such a deferment petition despite the Philippines withdrawing from the Rome Statute and Duterte not recognizing ICC’s jurisdiction.

“Very ironic dahil binigyan sila ng pagkakataon, ng due process kahit na ayaw nilang i-recognize, ayaw nilang makipag-cooperate. Pero yung thousands, beginning from the officially accepted 6,000 recorded killings in the campaign against drugs, to 30,000 as recorded by other organizations, ‘yung mga ito hindi ito nabigyan ng due process. Ang kanilang narrative lang dito ay nanlaban ito at namatay sila at justified ‘yung pagpatay na ‘yon,” Zarate said.

(Very ironic because they were given due process even if they don’t want to recognize and cooperate with the ICC, however the officially accepted 6,000 recorded killings, or 30,000 as recorded by other organizations, were not. Their narrative is that these people fought, they died, and their deaths are justified.)

Zarate further said the Duterte administration need not celebrate because they will be accountable for the drug war sooner or later. — BM, GMA News