ICC acts on plaint vs Duterte, opens probe

MANILA - The Haguebased International Criminal Court (ICC) has acted on the complaint filed against President Rodrigo Duterte and set a preliminary examination into the alleged human rights abuses committed under the Philippine war on drugs, Malacañang said Thursday, February 8.

“Our mission in the Hague was informed by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that it is opening a preliminary examination on the alleged acts associated with the campaign against illegal drugs covering the period of July 2016,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr.

He said this is merely meant to “embarrass” the President. Roque said a preliminary examination “is not a formal preliminary investigation,” but aims only to determine if there is reasonable basis to proceed to a preliminary investigation.

“Obviously, this is in MANILA tended to embarass the President. But the President is a lawyer. He knows what the procedures are. They will fail. The President has said that if need be, he will argue his case personally before the In-

ternational Criminal Court,” Roque said.

Duterte is facing a criminal complaint before the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands for allegedly commiting crimes against humanity and mass murder, in connection with his bloody crackdown on the illegal drugs trade.

Roque said the President welcomed the impending preliminary examination because the latter is “sick and tired” of being accused of committing human rights abuses.

“He (Duterte) also welcomes the preliminary examination because he’s sick and tired of being accused of committing crimes against humanity,” he said.

“No one should claim a victory because they’re only in the stage of preliminary examination,” Roque added.

Asked if the prosecutor of ICC can impose sanctions against the Philippine government, he said: “In our case, they will not go beyond preliminary examination.”