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No clear evidence linking Duterte to drug war deaths: solon

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="President Rodrigo Duterte listens to the report of Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa in a meeting held in the State Dining Room in Malacañan on Aug. 16, 2016. King Rodriguez, Malacanang Photo/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/10/21/20160816-prrd-senators-mnib-3.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Duterte listens to the report of Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa in a meeting held in the State Dining Room in Malacañan on Aug. 16, 2016. <em>King Rodriguez, Malacanang Photo/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — There is no clear evidence linking former President Rodrigo Duterte to extrajudicial killings allegedly committed during his administration&#x27;s campaign against illegal drugs, a lawmaker said Friday.</p><p>Surigao del Sur 2nd District Rep. Johnny Pimentel made this remark following the International Criminal Court&#x27;s decision to reopen an inquiry into the bloody crackdown, which left thousands dead.</p><p>Pimentel and 18 other lawmakers, including former President and Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, have filed a resolution calling on the House of Representatives to come to the &quot;unequivocal defense&quot; of Duterte.</p><p>&quot;There is no evidence, a very clear evidence linking extrajudicial killings to former president Duterte,&quot; Pimentel told ANC&#x27;s &quot;Rundown&quot;.</p><p>&quot;Can any person in Philippine soil point to President Duterte na siya ang pumatay nitong tao na&#x27;to?&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/16/23/arroyo-18-lawmakers-seek-unequivocal-defense-of-duterte-vs-icc">Arroyo, 18 lawmakers file reso urging &#x27;unequivocal&#x27; defense of Duterte vs ICC</a></li></ul><p>During his 6-year term, Duterte openly ordered police to shoot dead drug suspects if their lives were in danger.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/09/16/21/kill-them-key-events-on-dutertes-war-on-drugs">&#x27;Kill them&#x27;: Key events on Duterte&#x27;s war on drugs</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/02/21/duterte-on-his-drug-war-i-did-it-for-the-filipino">&#x27;I did it not for me&#x27;: Duterte says he waged war on drugs &#x27;for the Filipino&#x27;</a></li></ul><p>More than 6,200 people died in his anti-drug campaign, according to official figures. But rights groups estimate the true figure was in the tens of thousands. </p><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="650" src="https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiODgzZmZmMDMtODc4Yy00MjY2LTkxYmUtOTllMDViZTJkODM0IiwidCI6IjgwYmRiMGQ2LWM3MzgtNGRkOS1hYmUyLWM2ODRkNTk2OTc3ZiIsImMiOjEwfQ%3D%3D" width="100%"></iframe></div><p><br/>Majority of the co-authors of the resolution defending Duterte are from PDP-Laban, Pimentel said.</p><p>&quot;It is incumbent, it is our obligation to come to the defense to our chairman emeritus,&quot; he added.</p><p>The resolution claims that the anti-drug operations helped the country&#x27;s peace and order. It also argued that the Philippines has a functioning and independent judicial system.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a show of our support and it implies that this administration should also defend our former President because this will set a bad example,&quot; Pimentel said.</p><p>&quot;If a crime is committed in Philippine soil, I believe the proper court to investigate and prosecute any perpetrator should be the Philippine courts.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/27/23/icc-oks-resumption-of-probe-into-ph-drug-war-davao-killings">ICC approves resumption of probe into PH drug war, Davao killings</a></li></ul><p>The ICC, in a statement, said its pre-trial chamber &quot;is not satisfied that the Philippines is undertaking relevant investigations that would warrant a deferral of the court&#x27;s investigations&quot;.</p><p>&quot;The various domestic initiatives and proceedings, assessed collectively, do not amount to tangible, concrete and progressive investigative steps,&quot; it added.</p><p>Since the start of the drug war in 2016, only 3 policemen have been convicted for killing a drug suspect.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2470779" width="100%"></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><div><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse</strong><br/> </div>

There is no clear evidence linking former President Duterte to extrajudicial killings allegedly committed during his administration's drug war. 