Philippines to OK ICC drug war probe in country if legal process met

Kyodo News

<p>The Philippine government may allow the International Criminal Court to conduct a probe in the country regarding the deadly war on drugs during the previous administration of President Rodrigo Duterte if legal procedures are followed, its justice minister said Thursday.</p><p>&quot;We&#x27;re not here to stop them because if they&#x27;re not doing anything illegal, there&#x27;s nothing wrong with that,&quot; Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told Kyodo News in an interview, referring to the ICC&#x27;s investigation into Duterte&#x27;s anti-narcotics campaign that critics say disregarded human rights and left thousands dead.</p><p>&quot;If they&#x27;re getting statements, they&#x27;re getting evidence. It&#x27;s okay,&quot; Remulla said of the ICC investigators. &quot;But we have to clarify many issues, especially about procedure.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/28/23/resolution-urging-cooperation-with-icc-filed-at-senate">Hontiveros files resolution urging cooperation with ICC drug war probe</a></li></ul><p>The Philippines has not been a member of the ICC since March 2019, after the Duterte administration initiated the withdrawal. It was partly for this reason that the government had objected to any ICC investigation.</p><p>But the Hague-based tribunal said it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the Philippines was a member from November 2011.</p><p>Duterte implemented the war against illegal drugs while he was president from 2016 to 2022, with suspected drug dealers or users being victims of alleged extrajudicial killings.</p><p>Remulla said he had heard rumors of investigators from the ICC Office of the Prosecutor having visited or currently visiting the Philippines, expressing hope they would coordinate with his office.</p><p>&quot;We will have to deal with several legal implications of the action of the ICC in the Philippines, and it might have to end up in the Supreme Court of the country,&quot; he said, noting that &quot;procedural matters have to be observed to make sure that the rights of people are respected.&quot;</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who succeeded Duterte, is opposed to the ICC investigation, citing the capability of local authorities to conduct any probe. However, he did not rule out the possibility of the Philippines joining the ICC again, saying in November that the idea is &quot;under study.&quot;</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DPov3drm7rQ?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Philippine government may allow the International Criminal Court to conduct a probe in the country regarding the deadly war on drugs.

Philippines to OK ICC drug war probe in country if legal process met | ABS-CBN

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Sports

More

News

Philippines to OK ICC drug war probe in country if legal process met

Philippines to OK ICC drug war probe in country if legal process met

Kyodo News

Published Jan 18, 2024 11:51 PM PHT

Read More:

ICC

Rodrigo Duterte

drug war

Jesus Crispin Remulla

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Advertise with Us

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.