Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas (left), former president Rodrigo Duterte (Gabriela Facebook, Bong Go Facebook)

Former president Rodrigo Duterte's admission of responsibility for his infamous war on drugs further justifies the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation on the matter. 

Thus, said Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, who didn't mince words in her response to Duterte’s remarks during the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing.

"We in Gabriela Women's Party strongly condemn former President Rodrigo Duterte's brazen and unapologetic admission of responsibility for the thousands of lives lost in his bloody drug war campaign," Brosas said on Tuesday, Oct. 29. 

"His statement at the Senate hearing that he 'takes full, legal responsibility' while refusing to be questioned on his policies is a damning testimony that strengthens the call for justice and accountability," noted the senatorial aspirant. 

In light of Duterte’s admission, Makabayan congresswoman urged the Marcos administration to stop blocking the ICC investigation on the Duterte drug war. 

"Duterte's own words have given more weight to the ICC probe. The Philippines must cooperate with the ICC to give justice to the wives, mothers, sisters, and children who continue to cry out for justice and accountability," she said. 

"We demand that Duterte and all other perpetrators be held accountable for these crimes against humanity,"  she underscored. 

Brosas further said that Duterte’s "arrogant declaration" was "a slap in the face of thousands of women and children who lost their loved ones to extrajudicial killings under his regime". 

"His admission validates what we have been saying all along - that the systematic killing of poor Filipinos was state policy, directly ordered from the highest office of the land," noted the House assistant minority leader.

Brosas reckoned that Duterte cannot simply wash his hands by claiming that he did it "for the country." 

"No president has the mandate to order the killing of innocent people, especially children," she added. 

MUST READ: 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/29/mindanao-solon-says-justice-must-be-served

Submit Duterte's admission to ICC

A fellow senatorial aspirant from the Makabayan bloc, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, called for the Blue Ribbon panel to submit the affidavits and recording of the Monday hearing--including Duterte’s admission--to the ICC. 

"Former president Duterte's Senate testimony is a damning confession that confirms what human rights advocates have been saying for years," Castro said. 

"His admission of encouraging police to provoke suspects to fight back as a pretext for killing them is not just disturbing--it's a clear violation of human rights and due process," she said, referring to one of the shocking revelations of the ex-president during the hearing. 

"With Duterte's own admission of responsibility, there should be no more delays in pursuing justice. His confession about maintaining a death squad and encouraging extrajudicial killings demands full cooperation with the ICC because as it is, justice is still hard to come by in our country especially when one is dealing with the former president," said the House deputy minority leader.