Victims' families celebrate ICC confirmation of charges against Duterte

The families of the victims of those killed under former President Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs celebrated the decision of the International Criminal Court to confirm the crimes against humanity charges against him and commit the former leader to trial.

Thus, said ICC-listed lawyers, Joel R. Butuyan and Atty. Gilbert T. Andres, who are the Philippine-based Common Legal Representatives of the Victims

"We join the victims in celebrating the Pre-Trial Chamber 1 Decision confirming all the charges against accused Mr. Duterte as the victims’ first big step in attaining justice for their murdered loved ones under Mr. Duterte’s anti-drug campaign," Butuyan and Andres said in a statement.

The lawyers said the victims view the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber 1 decision confirming all three counts against accused Duterte "as the triumph of their right, under international law, to truth and justice for their murdered loved ones."

"The victims see the confirmation of all three counts of charges against Duterte as the answer to their prayers for justice," the statement read.

"The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber 1 Decision sends a strong message to the international community of states that the international criminal justice system is working to exact criminal accountability even against a former President such as the accused Mr. Duterte," it added.

The lawyers said the victims "expectantly await with renewed hope the trial proceedings against Mr. Duterte." 

'Crimes against humanity'

The ICC on Thursday confirmed the charges of crimes against humanity against former President Rodrigo Duterte in connection with the killings in his war on drugs when he was mayor of Davao City and when he was President.

In a 50-page document, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I committed Duterte to face trial on the charges as confirmed, and ordered the court registrar to transmit the decision confirmation of charges and the record of these proceedings.

The confirmed charges are the following:

• Count 1: Murder as a crime against humanity in Davao City during the mayoral period of at least the 19 victims, between 2013 and around June 2016, through indirect co-perpetration, ordering and/or inducing, and/or aiding and abetting;
• Count 2: Murder as a crime against humanity of ‘high-value targets’ in locations across the Philippines during the presidential period of at least the 14 victims between around July 2016 and July 2017, through indirect co-perpetration, and/or ordering and/or inducing and/or 25(3)(c) (aiding and abetting); and 
• Count 3: Murder and attempted murder as crimes against humanity in barangay clearance operations in locations across the Philippines during the presidential period of at least the 45 victims (43 murders and two attempted murders) between around July 2016 and September 2018, through indirect co-perpetration, ordering and/or inducing, and/or aiding and abetting.

“The Chamber finds that there are substantial grounds to believe that Mr. Duterte is criminally responsible for the crimes charged in Counts 1-3 as an indirect co-perpetrator, and/or for ordering and/or inducing, and/or for aiding and abetting the commission of the crimes,” the pre-trial chamber said. —NB, GMA News