Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee secretary administers the oath of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte Monday, October 28, 2024 before he begins his testimony before the subcommittee investigating motu proprio the alleged extra-judicial killings during his administration. Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau/File

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SENATE PROBE- EJK

ABS-CBN News

<div><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/175082810142520241028-senate-probe-duterte-SPRIB-2.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee secretary administers the oath of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte Monday, October 28, 2024 before he begins his testimony before the subcommittee investigating motu proprio the alleged extra-judicial killings during his administration. Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee secretary administers the oath of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte Monday, October 28, 2024 before he begins his testimony before the subcommittee investigating motu proprio the alleged extra-judicial killings during his administration. <em>Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (UPDATE) — The Department of Justice on Wednesday confirmed that the International Criminal Court has reached out and that the department will assist it in securing witnesses in the case of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who stands accused of crimes against humanity over his drug war.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/25/icc-got-taste-of-duterte-disinformation-with-interim-release-plea-lawyer-1436">ICC got taste of &#x27;Duterte disinformation&#x27; with interim release plea: lawyer</a></div><p>&quot;There&#x27;s an official [talk] already, they have gone to our Witness Protection Program to secure the people who may be needed to testify in The Hague and so we have given our support and cooperation as this request is well-founded, based on the safety, necessity to bring the witnesses safely to the Hague,&quot; Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla told ANC&#x27;s &quot;Headstart.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/24/icc-prosecutor-opposes-duterte-s-request-for-interim-release-1649">ICC prosecutor opposes Duterte’s request for interim release</a></div><div><br/></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/vcvs0dMPWB8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Remulla said that the Philippine government will also extend financial assistance to the witnesses in order for them to travel to The Hague, Netherlands, where the ICC proceedings are taking place.</p><p>&quot;Yung mga testigo lang, yung mga yan, wala namang kaya sa buhay, walang wala rin, yun lang talaga ang tutulungan,&quot; he said.</p><p>(Only the witnesses, because they do not have the resources to do that)</p><div><strong>&#x27;PLEASANT SURPRISE&#x27;</strong></div><p>Kristina Conti, one of the lawyers of the EJK victims, said she was &quot;pleasantly surprised&quot; with the DOJ&#x27;s position, which she said aligns with that of the drug war victims. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/25/eased-id-rules-make-icc-recognition-more-accessible-to-ejk-victims-lawyer-says-2048">Eased ID rules make ICC recognition more accessible to EJK victims, lawyer says</a></div><p>&quot;I&#x27;m also more surprised on the offer of assistance to victims who would testify before the court.&quot; </p><p>For Conti, the DOJ&#x27;s action can be interpreted as &quot;cooperation&quot; with the ICC, despite its earlier remarks to the contrary. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/20/chr-backs-un-rapporteur-s-call-for-philippines-to-rejoin-icc-1126">CHR backs UN rapporteur’s call for Philippines to rejoin ICC</a></div><p>&quot;I would say this is cooperation with the ICC. This is precisely one of the elements that is required for state parties to do, these are among their obligations, to protect witnesses, assist the court in the conduct of proceedings,&quot; Conti told ANC&#x27;s Dateline.</p><p>Conti said the DOJ&#x27;s new pronouncement may help give other EJK victims who were afraid of coming forward without government protection courage to do so now.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</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/lY1n1N2YkAM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><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/CGgAHMSfHM0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Kristina Conti, one of the lawyers of the EJK victims, said she was "pleasantly surprised" with the DOJ's position. </p>

Kristina Conti, one of the lawyers of the EJK victims, said she was "pleasantly surprised" with the DOJ's position.

DOJ confirms cooperation with ICC, offers to fly drug war witnesses to The Hague

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DOJ confirms cooperation with ICC, offers to fly drug war witnesses to The Hague

Jauhn Etienne Villaruel,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 25, 2025 02:47 PM PHT

|

Updated June 25, 2025 03:16 PM PHT

Read More:

ICC

Rodrigo Duterte

EJK

EJK victims

DOJ

Department of Justice

crimes against humanity

drug war

war on drugs

ANC

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