Push Admin

Hontiveros files resolution urging cooperation with ICC drug war probe

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Sen. Risa Hontiveros presides over a public hearing in the Senate on January 28, 2020. Albert Calvelo, Senate PRIB" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/06/30/sen-risa-hontiveros.jpg"/><figcaption>Sen. Risa Hontiveros presides over a public hearing in the Senate on January 28, 2020. <em>Albert Calvelo, Senate PRIB</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATE)</strong> — Sen. Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution urging the government to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into potential crimes against humanity in the previous administration’s war on drugs.</p><p>President Rodrigo Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the ICC in 2019, but the Supreme Court pointed out in a 2021 ruling that the government is obliged to cooperate with processes that began while it was still a member.</p><p>&quot;The Philippines has historically been at the forefront of advancing humanitarian law and international justice, and it is high time that we reaffirm our commitment to these values before the international community,&quot; Hontiveros said in Philippine Senate Resolution No. 867.</p><p>Hontiveros, a member of the two-person minority bloc, said that apart from the Rome Statute that the Philippines has withdrawn ratification of, the Constitution commits the Philippines to &quot;value the dignity of every human person and guarantee the full respect for human rights.&quot;</p><p>She added that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has also &quot;vowed to promote human rights and a &#x27;high level of accountability&#x27; for violations.&quot;</p><p>In a statement, Sen. Imee Marcos, sister of the President, accused Hontiveros and those pushing for ICC cooperation of stirring up trouble.</p><p>&quot;So they really want trouble? Well, PRRD has said &#x27;Bring it on!&#x27; But the decision to cooperate or not is one for the Executive, and my brother, the President of the Philippines, has already made it clear that the ICC has no jurisdiction to conduct the probe. I share that view,&quot; Sen. Marcos said.</p><p>The House started tackling similar resolutions last week but would seek input from government officials and from relatives of victims of alleged abuses in anti-narcotics operations.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/22/23/abante-cooperation-with-icc-will-show-ph-justice-system-works">Abante: Cooperation with ICC a chance to show justice system works</a></li></ul><p>Adopted resolutions express the sense, or position, of a chamber but are not binding on the executive branch.</p><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=2885757" 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>HOUSE RESOLUTIONS &#x27;NOT ANTI-DUTERTE&#x27; </strong></div><p>At least two lawmakers denied the House resolutions were &quot;anti-Duterte.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Sa bahagi namin ng Makabayan, di namin ito ginagamit against sa mga Duterte,&quot; said House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro. </p><p>&quot;Ang resolution namin ay... para makamit na yung long overdue na justice ng mga biktima at pamilya ng extrajudicial killings,&quot; she said in an interview.</p><p>House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe on Saturday also said: &quot;Di naman namin kaaway ang ating dating Pangulong Duterte. We are not his enemies, we are his allies.&quot; </p><p>&quot;Mga kakampi kami niya even in the last Congress,&quot; he added.</p><div><strong>PHILIPPINES&#x27; DISENGAGEMENT FROM ICC</strong></div><p>Duterte has repeatedly said that he will not submit to ICC jurisdiction. </p><p>The Marcos administration previously also said that it was <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/20/23/marcos-jr-oks-philippine-disengagement-with-icc-osg">disengaging</a> from the ICC, which decided in July to authorize ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to &quot;resume the investigations in relation to the situation in the Philippines.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/18/23/icc-junks-ph-appeal-to-proceed-with-drug-war-probe">ICC junks Philippine gov&#x27;t appeal, to proceed with drug war probe</a></li></ul><div><strong>RETURN TO ICC &#x27;UNDER STUDY&#x27;</strong></div><p>Marcos said last week that a suggestion to ratify the Rome Statute again and return to the ICC is “under study.”</p><p>He has also said, however, that seeking accountability for any drug war abuses falls on government.</p><p>&quot;Dapat Pilipino lang ang gumagawa niyan. May pulis naman tayo, may [National Bureau of Investigation] tayo, may [Department of Justice] tayo. Kaya nila ang trabahong yan, and that&#x27;s really where the conflict is,&quot; he said last week. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/24/23/marcos-philippine-return-to-icc-under-study">Marcos says Philippine return to ICC &#x27;under study&#x27;</a></li></ul><p>The ICC is meant as a court of last resort for when national authorities are unwilling or unable to investigate and prosecute serious crimes like crimes against humanity.</p><p>Victims’ relatives and human rights group say domestic processes have not brought justice to thousands killed in the so-called drug war.</p><div><strong>— With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News </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=2885353" 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>

Hontiveros noted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has 'vowed to promote human rights and a 'high level of accountability' for violations.'