Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Sen. Leila De Lima said Friday that President Rodrigo Duterte cannot hide behind presidential immunity if the International Criminal Court (ICC) files a case against him for the alleged extrajudicial killings under his administration.
“The ICC can always assume jurisdiction if they find enough sufficient basis to do so,” De Lima said at a forum on extrajudicial killings and human rights at Miriam College. “I do believe na karamihan diyan are still really police or agents of the police so its systematic, its state-inspired, if not State-sponsored. Pag napatunayan ‘yan, presidential immunity does not apply.”
[Translation: I do believe that many of those (alleged extrajudicial killings) are still really police or agents of the police, so it’s systematic, it’s State-inspired, if not State-sponsored. If that is proven, presidential immunity does not apply.]
De Lima’s statement comes after ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda issued a statement Friday that her office will be following the developments in the Philippines closely to assess whether or not to open a preliminary investigation.
“Let me be clear: any person in the Philippines who incites or engages in acts of mass violence including by ordering, requesting, encouraging or contributing, in any other manner, to the commission of crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC is potentially liable to prosecution before the Court,” Bensouda said.
The Philippines is a State party to the ICC and the court has jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President is willing to submit himself for an investigation before any body.
Duterte had said in the past that he dares to support the killing of more people if it means going even after only one drug suspect. He has also repeatedly defended his pronouncements by saying that it isn’t a crime in the Philippines to threaten criminals.
De Lima’s visit to Miriam College is among her many visits to schools, where she has discussed human rights and criticized the Duterte administration amidst drug-trafficking cases filed against her.
The embattled Senator is set to file writs of amparo and habeas data against the President before the Supreme Court, which she said would serve as a test case for the President’s immunity.
CNN Philippines Digital Producer VJ Bacungan contributed to this report.
