International Criminal Court prosecutor investigating Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs in the Philippines



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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.  EFE / Mark R. Cristino / Archives
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. EFE / Mark R. Cristino / Archives

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday called for a full investigation into the killings in the Philippines during the so-called war on drugs, one of her last decisions before leaving his duties this week.

“Today, I announce that the preliminary examination of the situation in the Republic of the Philippines has been completed and that I have requested judicial authorization to proceed with an investigation“Fatou Bensouda said in a statement.

“The information available indicates that members of the Philippine National Police and others acting in concert with them, illegally killed between thousands and tens of thousands of civilians“, says the lawyer.

"Justice for all victims of Duterte's war on drugs"a young man claims during a demonstration in Manila (Reuters)
“Justice for all victims of Duterte’s war on drugs,” claims young man at protest in Manila (Reuters)

The Philippines withdrew from the Hague-based ICC, the world’s only permanent war crimes court, in 2019, but the prosecution said it can still investigate crimes committed during its accession.

Manila decided to leave after the court launched a preliminary review in 2018 into President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug crackdown, which has claimed thousands of lives and sparked international censorship.

“My Office has also reviewed the information relating to the complaints of torture and other inhumane acts, and related events as of November 1, 2011, the beginning of the jurisdiction of the Court in the Philippines, which, in our opinion, requires an investigation, ”added the prosecutor.

Police investigate the death of a man in Manila at the hands of two unidentified individuals who fired from a motorcycle (Daniel Berehulak / The New York Times)
Police are investigating the death of a man in Manila at the hands of two unidentified individuals who fired from a motorcycle (Daniel Berehulak / The New York Times)

Bensouda’s term ends Tuesday, and “Any investigation authorized in the Philippines will be left to my able successor, Mr. Karim Khan, to carry it out.“, He said.

“Aware of the complex operational challenges that the Office of the Prosecutor will face if the Pre-Trial Chamber authorizes an investigation, they also we have taken a number of steps to collect and store evidence, in anticipation of a possible investigation“, Said the prosecution in its press release.

Britain’s Khan will succeed Bensouda on Wednesday as ICC prosecutor.

(With information from AFP)

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