Senator Risa Hontiveros on Thursday said it is high time that President Duterte faces the International Criminal Court (ICC) and respond to the charges against him regarding his “brutal war on drugs.”
Hontiveros made the call after the Pre-Trial Chamber 1 of the ICC has approved the start of the probe into the crimes against humanity cases that have been filed against Duterte in connection to the drug war killings in the Philippines.
The senator said she completely trusts that the ICC will fulfill its mandate and be able to dig deep on the real “architects” behind the extrajudicial killings brought about by his anti-illegal drug campaign.
“Panahon na upang harapin ng Pangulo ang imbestigasyon na ito. Huwag na nyang harangan pa ang mga opisyal ng ICC sa pagtupad ng tungkulin nila (It’s time for the President to face this investigation. He should not bar officials of ICC who are going to fulfill their mandate),” Hontiveros said in a statement.
“Ang Palasyo na mismo ang nagpapatagal ng prosesong ito. Ano ba ang kailangan nya pang pag-isipan? Wala ba syang kumpyansa sa sarili nyang paliwanag? Ano ba ang ikinakatakot niya (It’s the Palace officials themselves who are delaying this process. What else does he have to think about? Does he have no confidence in his own explanations? What is he afraid of)?” she pointed out.
“Minsan dapat sundin ni Presidente ang sarili nyang mga salita: Kung walang itinatago, bakit matatakot (The President should sometimes take his own advice: if you have nothing to hide, why be afraid)?” she reiterated.
Hontiveros also said she is confident that the Filipino community would be supportive of the ICC’s mandate.
“Ito ay panibagong pag-asa para sa mga pamilyang Pilipino na biktima ng walang habas na pagpaslang. Noon, ngayon, at kailanman, hindi natin sila bibiguin (This is a new wave of hope for Filipino families who were victimized by the impunity. We will not fail them),” she stressed.