A former lawmaker told former president Rodrigo Duterte that he should not fear the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation of his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs if his actions have been above board.
(From left) Former vice presidential spokesman Barry Gutierrez and former president Rodrigo Duterte (OVP, Palace photos)
Former Akbayan lawmaker Barry Gutierrez, a lawyer who was also a spokesman to former vice president Leni Robredo, brought back the former president’s supporters’ favorite line repeated during social media arguments.
“Dadagdag ko lang ang isang nausong hirit noong nakaraang administrasyon: Kung wala kayong kasalanan, bakit kayo takot na takot (I’ll just add a trendy retort during the past administration: If you are innocent, why are you so afraid)?,” he asked.
“Kung pinaninindigan niyo ang pagpapatupad sa so-called ‘drug war’ ninyo, bakit iwas kayo ng iwas sa ICC (If you truly believe your so-called ‘drug war’, why are you avoiding the ICC)?,” he added.
Gutierrez’s remarks came after reports that ICC investigators are in the Philippines and might have already completed their inquiry into the past administration’s war on drugs, in which thousands of alleged drug addicts and petty criminals in the country’s most impoverished areas had been killed.
Reports also said some of these victims were minors.
The former lawmaker expressed optimism that under the Marcos administration, the ICC case against the former chief executive would progress as this was stalled when Duterte was still in power and withdrew from the Rome Statute.
“This 2024 might see movement on the ICC case regarding the so-called drug war,” he said.
“If so, we should expect greater clarity on many of the issues - like this one - raised by witnesses such as former DDS insider Arturo Lascañas.”
The self-confessed hitman gave an interview to investigative news agency Vera Files where he detailed the operations of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) under Duterte when he was mayor of Davao City.
According to former senator Leila de Lima, who was recently released on bail after spending more than six years in detention under Duterte, Lascañas’ revelations in the interview were similar to his testimony before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), whose investigation against the DDS she headed when Duterte was still Davao City mayor.
“I'm glad @AttyLeiladeLima is getting her long overdue, much-deserved vindication,” Gutierrez said.
“Umaasa ako na parating na ang araw na mananagot sila dito (I am hopeful that the day of reckoning will come).”