Chanting calls for accountability, human rights activists marched from the International Criminal Court (ICC) to the Scheveningen Prison, demanding justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, March 18.
“Online bashers have clearly demonstrated the continuing threat of a Duterte ‘hate’ network to families-victims as well as to witnesses of drug war killings."
The reason why Duterte withdrew from the ICC is to evade accountability. Now that he is in ICC’s custody, it is only right that the Philippines rejoin (ICC) for justice and accountability which is the long time call of the families of the victims of rights violations under the Duterte administration."
“There are mixed emotions among all the families of the victims. We hope that Bato and Go will be included as well. This is the day of reckoning for the powerful Duterte, who mercilessly took the lives of our loved ones."
The Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle submitted a copy of the findings and verdict of the recently concluded International People's Tribunal on the War Crimes of the U.S.-supported Marcos Jr. and Duterte governments in Brussels on May 17 to 18.
We don’t have a next move, that is the extent of our involvement with the ICC. That ends all our involvement with the ICC. Because we will no longer appeal, the appeal has failed and there is, in our view, nothing more that we can do in the government and so at this point we essentially are disengaging from any contact, from any communication with the ICC.”
“It is our prayer that the ICC investigation will ferret out truth and evidence that can bring justice and accountability for the killings of our loved ones."
“In the absence of persuasive reasons in support of ordering suspensive effect, the Appeals Chamber rejects the request. This is without prejudice to its eventual decision on the merits of the Philippines’ appeal against the Impugned Decision."
“This should also serve as a warning to the current regime for essentially continuing Duterte's policies on the drug war.”
“The GovPH argues that its criminal justice system generally functions well, and that certain administrative and other mechanisms may or can result in criminal proceedings. However, nothing in the observations nor in the hundreds of pages of associated annexes substantiates that criminal proceedings actually have been or are being conducted in anything more than a small number of cases."
“Withdrawal from the Rome Statute does not discharge a state party from the obligations it has incurred as a member. Consequently, liability for the alleged summary killings and other atrocities committed in the course of the war on drugs [during the Duterte administration] is not nullified or negated.”
“What can we expect from someone who has shamelessly branded victims of human rights violations — people who have been killed, disappeared, tortured, illegally arrested and detained, among others — during his father’s dictatorial rule as greedy people who are only after money?"
“Under the Rome Statute’s core principle of complementarity, States always have the first opportunity to investigate allegations of such crimes committed on their territory or by their nationals. However, when national authorities fail to act, the Court must step in, and that is why I have filed today’s application."
“Nothing could be further from the truth than claiming that domestic institutions and mechanisms of accountability in the country are ‘fully functional.’"
“We will be with them (in every) stage of the process; we will be with them until the end."
“We shall continue to work in all possible venues to seek justice, make this regime accountable for its crimes, and put a stop to the killings or else, this will go on and on as long as Duterte remains in power and beyond."
“Extrajudicial confessions are universally recognized as admissible in evidence against an accused provided they are voluntarily made and corroborated by evidence of the actual commission of the crime.”
She formally requested for authority to her office to begin investigating Duterte’s war on drugs for possible crimes against humanity involving murder. She proposed to include in the investigation the pattern of drug-related EJKs observed in Davao City during Duterte’s tenure as mayor from Nov. 1, 2011 to 2016, noting that in that period, the Philippines had already ratified the Rome Statute of 2002, a treaty establishing the ICC.
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