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Palace: PH not sending quad comm findings to ICC

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ABS-CBN News

<div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1728893483571icc.webp" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The façade of the ICC building in The Hague. <em>Jofelle P. Tesorio, ABS-CBN News Europe Bureau</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippine government will not be endorsing the findings of House hearings into alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration&#x27;s war on drugs to the International Criminal Court, the Palace said Monday as it reiterated government policy not to cooperate with its investigation.</p><p>Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin made the statement in response to calls from lawyers like former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares to refer the proceedings to the ICC, which the Philippines left in 2019 because of its inquiry into alleged EJKs.</p><p>&quot;The Philippines will not return to ICC,&quot; Bersamin said.</p><p>&quot;Based on this, the President is not expected to change his mind and now refer the quad comm matter to the ICC.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/12/families-of-summary-killing-victims-pin-hopes-on-icc-1707">READ: Families of summary killing victims pin hopes on ICC</a></div><p>The quad comm is a group of four committees looking into issues from the Duterte administration, including the drug war and Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.</p><p>The government has been firm in its position that it will not cooperate with the ICC, but has since said that it will not stop the court from arranging interviews with drug war personalities and potential witnesses on its own.</p><p>Quad comm leaders have repeatedly said that the proceedings are a matter of public record.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/13/panelo-plays-down-garma-testimony-that-gives-drug-war-families-hope-for-justice-1730">WRAP: Panelo plays down Garma claims that give &#x27;drug war&#x27; families hope for justice amid politics</a></div><p>Lawyer Kristina Conti, who represents some of the families of drug war victims and who is assistant to counsel at the ICC, said over the weekend that the court should take note of the proceedings and that it would be remiss in its duty if it does not.</p><p>She also echoed Colmenares&#x27; call to forward quad comm findings to the ICC, which, she said, would authenticate committee reports and other documents from the hearings.</p><p>The Philippines does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC, with the Palace saying in 2018 that the treaty was invalid because it had not been published in newspapers — a requirement for domestic laws but not for international agreements.</p><div><strong>DILG AND POLICE INVESTIGATIONS</strong></div><p>The hearings have led to police investigations, including the reopening of the case of the 2020 killing of sweepstakes office executive and former cop Wesley Barayuga.</p><p>Police Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, chief of the Philippine National Police, said the PNP will also look into allegations that cops were rewarded for the killings of alleged drug personalities in the Duterte administration&#x27;s drug war.</p><p>&quot;Anyone is innocent until proven guilty, but there is no sacred cow in the investigation,&quot; Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Monday.</p><p>He said the department will wait for the quad comm&#x27;s formal findings and full testimonies by resource speakers, but said that these might be used for the filing of charges.</p><p>He added there will be no extrajudicial killings in the Marcos Jr. administration&#x27;s anti-illegal drug campaign, which the government has said will focus on big-time suppliers and dealers.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/13/doj-to-investigate-quad-comm-revelations-once-house-submits-report-1922">RELATED: DOJ to investigate Quad Comm revelations once House submits report</a></div><p>The UP Diliman-based Dahas Project, which maintains a database of drug-related killings, has tallied 815 deaths during the Marcos Jr. administration, with 14 deaths recorded in the first week of October. — Michael Delizo and Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lXdVLLLJTyQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>“The Philippines will not return to ICC,” Bersamin said. “Based on this, the President is not expected to change his mind and now refer the quad comm matter to the ICC.”</p>

“The Philippines will not return to ICC,” Bersamin said. “Based on this, the President is not expected to change his mind and now refer the quad comm matter to the ICC.”