More drug war ‘victims’ submitted to ICC pre-trial chamber

Metro Manila, Philippines - The International Criminal Court (ICC) Registry has transmitted to the Pre-Trial Chamber I the applications of those who “clearly qualify as victims” of the bloody war on drugs to participate in the crimes against humanity case of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The submission was nearly a month ahead of the confirmation of charges hearing this September.

In a document dated Aug. 27, the ICC Registry said the Victims Participation and Reparations Section registered 322 applications for participation in the pre-trial proceedings.

The registry noted that 18 applicants expressed their wish to only apply for reparations, and were “not considered at the present stage of proceedings.”

Of the 304 applications, the registry transmitted to Pre-Trial Chamber I 15 applications classified as “Group A” participants — or what the ICC deemed as “applicants who clearly qualify as victims within the scope of a given case.”

The registry also sent 10 applicants tagged as “Group B,” explaining they were “clearly falling outside the temporal and/or material scope of the Duterte case.” The reasons were stated in the confidential part of the document.

The submission of Group A and Group B applications followed the Aug. 20 transmittal of the “Group C” requests, referring to applicants whom the ICC Registry could not make a clear determination for any reason. 

Considered victims are those who personally suffered harm, whether direct or indirect, as a result from the crimes Duterte is charged with.

Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity of murder linked to his anti-drug campaign, covering the period of Nov. 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019. The war on drugs killed at least 6,000 people, according to government data.

In a separate document, the ICC prosecution and Duterte’s defense team told the pre-trial chamber they have agreed to initial statements of facts as the confirmation of charges hearing draws near.

In the “Joint Prosecution and Defence submission on agreed facts” dated Sept. 1, the two parties agreed to Duterte’s birthday and birth place, that he is a Filipino national, that the moniker “PRRD” is commonly used in the Philippines,and that the barangay is the smallest political and administrative unit in the country.

“The Parties have agreed to resume efforts to agree further facts once the issue of [REDACTED] has been resolved,” read the document.

During the Sept. 23 hearing, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I, led by Presiding Judge Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc, will determine whether there is enough evidence for Duterte’s case to go to trial.

In March, Duterte was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport via an ICC warrant, and was transferred to the court’s detention facility.