Duterte has no immunity in ICC case if elected senator—Trillanes
President Rodrigo Duterte will have no immunity from the case filed against him before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his bloody war on drugs campaign even if he gets elected senator in 2022, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said.
After much dilly-dallying, the President filed his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) on Nov. 15, the last day of the withdrawal and substitution set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Trillanes, a staunch critic of Duterte and who is running as a senatorial aspirant under the ticket of presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo, maintained that the Chief Executive has no choice but to face the ICC after his term ends.
“Wala. Wala namang immunity ang senador. Nakita nyo naman ang ginawa niya kay Senator Leila de Lima. Gawa-gawa lang ng kaso naipakulong niya (There’s no immunity for senator. You saw what he did to Senator Leila de Lima. It’s just trumped-up charges but he put her in jail),” he said in a radio interview over the weekend.
READ: Malacañang welcomes suspension of ICC probe on drug war
De Lima, another critic of the President and who investigated the alleged Davao Death Squad (DDS) when he was still Davao City mayor, has been under detention at Camp Crame for almost five years for alleged ties to drug syndicates.
Like Trillanes, De Lima is running under Robredo's ticket as a reelectionist.
“Talagang ihahatid siya ng estado para managot siya sa ginawa niyang krimen (The state will really bring him so he can face his crimes),” the former senator said of Duterte.
This is just right on time since Trillanes believes the ICC, which deferred its investigation into Duterte’s case after a request for deferment since the country’s judicial system remains functioning, will resume its investigation next year.
“We expect this (deferment) to go over the next few months. Sakto kung manalo si VP Leni ay magre-resume din ito ulit (It’s just right at time when VP Leni wins and this will resume ulit),” he said.
The former Navy officer stressed that Duterte should be held accountable for the thousands of deaths brought about by his drug war.
READ: Gov’t deferment request means Duterte admin recognizes ICC jurisdiction — Trillanes
The ICC formally opened a preliminary investigation into the bloody anti-illegal-drugs campaign that was the flagship program of the Duterte administration.
But although the President withdrew the Philippines membership from the ICC in March 2018, the Court maintains jurisdiction on crimes committed from November 2011, when the Statute entered into force after Manila’s ratification, until March 2019, when the withdrawal came into force.
“Siya po ang nag-utos niyan. Alam ng mga Pilipino iyan. Kailangan na managot siya kasi tatay siya ng mga PiIipino (He ordered that. Filipinos know that. He needs to be accountable because he is the father of the Filipinos),” Trillanes said, noting that the total number of deaths due to drug war might even reach 30,000.
The former senator believes that drug addicts should be rehabilitated while criminals should land in jail.