'ICC probe on crimes vs humanity a must' -- human rights lawyer
Since no ranking government official has been investigated in the previous administration's illegal drugs operations that resulted in deaths and other abuses, a probe by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a must, said lawyer Kristina Conti, an ICC assistant to counsel.
Conti, also secretary general of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers for the National Capital Region, said there has been no investigation on crimes against humanity in the Philippines on the war on drugs and "no officials known or thought of to have implemented the war on drugs have been investigated."
Thus, Conti, during an interview on ANC on Monday, Nov. 27, said the need for the ICC to investigate crimes committed during the drugs war of then President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
“The main purpose of the ICC coming in really is to ensure that top leaders or kung sino mang officials (or whoever officials) are prosecuted for grave crimes,” she said.
The ICC’s investigation into the Philippine situation aims to determine if crimes against humanity were committed during the war on drugs as alleged by Filipino complainants, she also said.
“Crimes against humanity entails widespread and systematic acts. So it could be murder and inhumane acts,” she also said.
Earlier, President Marcos has said that the Philippines' rejoining the ICC is under study. The Philippines' membership in the ICC was terminated in 2019
“The only way now we can rejoin is to sign it and to sign it as a treaty. This requires Senate concurrence for the Philippines to be binded to a treaty,” Conti said.
She said that those opposed to the country’s return to the ICC only intend to protect certain individuals. She did not give additional details.