The Commission on Human Rights has urged the government to address the recent findings of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that there is reasonable basis to believe that many human rights violations were committed in the country’s campaign against illegal drugs.

A report from ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said that murder, torture, and other crimes against humanity were present during the first three years of President Duterte's incumbency.

"As the country’s national human rights institution, CHR urges the government to acknowledge and address the observations of the ICC, with regards to its findings, and calls for greater transparency and accountability from the government in the movement towards providing redress for cases of human rights violations," the CHR said.

"In the end, it is the duty of the State to ensure a healthy balance between liberty and authority and general adherence to the rule of law," it added.

The CHR stressed that it is the State's primary responsibility to respect, protect, and fulfill the rights of individuals. In light of the recent findings of the ICC, the CHR said that the government must be spurred to "squarely address" all violations committed in the name of the campaign against illegal drugs.

The CHR expressed its commitment to cooperate with existing domestic and international protection mechanisms in order to make sure that human rights violations are addressed and perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions.

"We remain vigilant and will continue to condemn actions that threaten the peace and security of the people whether committed by state or non-state actors," the CHR said.