Human Rights Online Philippines

ICC likely to come after Duterte despite PH split – lawyer

The International Criminal Court is likely to continue investigating President Rodrigo Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity even after the Philippines’ withdrawal from the tribunal takes effect a week from now, a rights lawyer said Sunday.

The Hague-based ICC launched last year a preliminary examination into Duterte’s supposed role in the alleged death squad killings in Davao City, where he ruled as mayor for over 2 decades. He is facing a separate complaint before the court over his anti-narcotics drive that has killed thousands.

The cases prompted Duterte in May 2018 to withdraw the Philippines from the Rome Statute, which created the ICC. Manila’s split from ICC takes effect next Sunday.

“There is a large possibility that the President of the Philippines… and other officials behind the drug war killings may still be investigated by the ICC prosecutors even after March 17,” said lawyer Ruben Carranza, reparative justice director at the International Center for Transitional Justice.

“There are precedents where even after the withdrawal of a state from the ICC, a case that was investigated by the prosecutors continued,” he told ANC.

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