ICC ruling a major step to justice, says victims' lawyer

A counsel for the families of the victims of the Duterte administration’s drug war on Tuesday hailed the International Criminal Court's (ICC) junking of the Philippines’ appeal as a "major step towards justice."

The judges in the ICC appeals chamber (AC) earlier rejected the government’s appeal to halt the probe into the alleged crimes against humanity committed under the war on drugs, effectively allowing the resumption of the investigation.

CenterLaw Philippines, which represents kin of EJK victims “from hard-hit areas in Metro Manila," said the decision is a  “concrete answer to the prayers of the victims’ communities who are still seeking justice for their murdered family members under the Duterte War on Drugs”.

“CenterLaw greets this AC Decision as it reiterates the reason for creating the ICC: to prevent impunity for the perpetrators of international crimes such as the crimes against humanity committed under the Duterte War on Drugs,” Gilbert Andres, the law firm's executive director, said.

“CenterLaw trusts the judicial mechanism of the ICC and is confident that perpetrators of the War on Drugs will be tried for their actions,” he added. 

Andres also called on the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fully cooperate with the investigation, saying the ICC decision affirms the Philippine government’s failure to look into the alleged crimes in the context of the drug war.

“This ICC Decision is also a sobering warning that a State cannot simply escape ICC jurisdiction by its mere withdrawal from the Rome Statute. Ultimately, impunity does not pay even in withdrawal,” Andres added.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the ICC in 2019 after the tribunal began a preliminary probe into his administration’s drug war, followed by the launch of a formal inquiry later that year. Marcos ruled out rejoining.

At least 6,200 suspects were killed in police operations based on government records under the controversial war on drugs. Human rights groups, however, claimed the actual death toll could be from 12,000 to 30,000.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla previously said the country would not comply if the ICC issued an arrest warrant against individuals over killings in the drug war.

Other Philippine officials have said the government will not cooperate with the ICC, reiterating that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the country.

The Office of the Solicitor General said the Philippine government ''will not be deterred by today’s outcome.''

''The majority decision does not alter the fact that the Republic, through its various national and local agencies, remains fully committed to the internal investigation and prosecution of allegations connected to the anti-illegal drug campaign,'' it said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News