Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 18) — A lawyer representing some of the families of the Duterte administration’s drug war victims said they are ready to take other actions in case the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Appeals Chamber decides not to push through with its investigation of the controversial anti-illegal drugs program.
“We will still continue pursuing any and all avenues that are available. We will check out other international arenas and even domestic arenas,” laywer Kristina Conti, the secretary general of National Union of Peoples Lawyers, told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Tuesday.
The ICC appeals chamber is expected to release on Tuesday its decision on the Philippine government’s plea for the court to reverse a ruling authorizing the prosecutor to resume the drug war probe.
The probe was halted in November 2021 following a request from the previous administration.
The probe resumed in January this year, with the ICC saying it was not convinced that the Philippine government is “making a real or genuine effort” to conduct probes and criminal prosecutions regarding the matter.
This was followed by an appeal filed by the Philippines in February, asking the ICC to reverse its decision to reopen the investigation, and pending that, to suspend the probe.
The request for suspension was rejected by the Appeals Chamber, and it is set to decide on Tuesday on the main appeal for a reversal of the authority given to the prosecutor to resume his investigation.
If the Appeals Chamber decides that the investigation could push through, arrest warrants or subpoenas may be issued to compel the individuals involved to cooperate with the procedures to be taken, said Conti, who is also assistant to counsel at the ICC.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said the Philippines cannot cooperate with the ICC “considering the very serious questions about their jurisdiction and about what we consider to be interference and practically attacks on the sovereignty of the republic.”
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday also said the country will not implement the arrest warrants from ICC, emphasizing that it has no jurisdiction over the country.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte pulled the country out of the ICC in 2018 after the court launched a preliminary investigation into his deadly war on drugs. The withdrawal officially took effect in 2019, after a one year notice.
For Conti, it is only the executive branch that is not open to cooperating with the ICC.
“In fact, the Supreme Court already said in a decision, Pangilinan vs. Cayetano, they said that we still have an obligation to the ICC to cooperate,” she pointed out.
