Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 26) – Nearly all of the vice presidential candidates are open to the country rejoining or cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has launched a probe into the Duterte government’s controversial drug war.
During the CNN Philippines Vice Presidential Debate on Saturday, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, lawyer Carlos Serapio, and doctor Willie Ong responded in the affirmative when asked if they want the Philippines to again become a member of the international tribunal.
The country withdrew from the ICC in March 2018 after the latter initiated a preliminary examination into the State’s anti-drug campaign. The withdrawal became effective in March 2019.
Last September, the ICC authorized an official probe into the drug war, but the national government insisted the court has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.
If elected in May, former congressman Walden Bello and Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said they would give their full cooperation to the ICC.
Manny Lopez, however, believes bringing in “foreign interference” is not a good idea, considering the possible differences in values and perception. He added the move to rejoin “has to be timely.”
Bello vs Sotto
During the event, Bello also fired attacks against Sotto, accusing him of supporting President Rodrigo Duterte — including in the bloody anti-drug campaign — “until just very recently.”
The senator, however, denied being a Duterte ally. He also rejected Bello’s claim that there have been some 27,000 extrajudicial killings against alleged drug users and dealers. He said there were just over 6,000 reported, while there have been around 378,000 reported arrests.
“So, kung may EJK at sinasabi nila, ibinibintang nila kay President Duterte, eh ‘di dapat 378,000 ang patay… Kung anu-ano pinapadala nilang figures sa ICC. Hindi totoo ‘yun. You have to let the records speak for itself,” Sotto said.
[Translation: If there are really extrajudicial killings which they blame on President Duterte, then there should be 378,000 dead. They’re sending false figures to the ICC. Those are incorrect. You have to let the records speak for itself.]
Based on Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency data, 6,191 deaths related to the drug war have been reported as of August 31, 2021. However, the ICC estimates 12,000 to 30,000 civilians have been killed in the government crackdown from July 2016 to March 2019—when the Philippines’ withdrawal from the treaty that created the court took effect.
