The Philippine authorities intends to attraction the resumption of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) inquiry into the drug warfare earlier than the ICC Appeals Chamber, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra stated Friday.
This comes after the ICC approved the reopening of the inquiry, saying its pre-trial chamber “is not satisfied that the Philippines is undertaking relevant investigations that would warrant a deferral of the court’s investigations.”
“While we have not received an official copy of this resolution, it is our intention to exhaust our legal remedies, more particularly elevating the matter to the ICC appeals chamber,” Guevarra stated in a message to reporters.
“We wish to emphasize that our own domestic investigative and judicial processes should take precedence, and we can show that despite structural and resource limitations in our legal system, it is still a well-functioning system that yields positive results in its own time,” he added.
According to the ICC, the Appeals Chamber could reverse or amend the choice on conviction or sentence and will order a brand new trial earlier than a distinct Trial Chamber.
The authorities beforehand requested the ICC to not resume its investigation into the drug warfare, insisting that the worldwide tribunal has no jurisdiction over it.
Guevarra had additionally beforehand stated the ICC has jurisdiction over sure crimes solely, similar to genocide, crimes of aggression, crimes towards humanity, and warfare crimes.
‘Motive’
Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the nationwide police chief in the course of the peak of the drug warfare, questioned the ICC’s motive in pushing by means of with its investigation.
Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Dela Rosa stated there appears to be an “agenda” behind the continual push for the investigation.
“May motive behind ito. May ibang agenda kung bakit insisting. Merong nagtutulak sa kanila na mag-imbestiga. Baka gustong ibalik ang problema ng droga sa bansa,” he stated.
(There is a motive behind this. They have a distinct agenda behind their insistence. Someone is pushing them to analyze. Probably they need the drug downside to be again within the nation.)
“Hindi nga sila pinapapasok dito para mag-conduct ng imbestigasyon. Go ahead kung anong gusto nilang gawin. Nakakasawa na,” he added.
(The authorities didn’t even enable them to enter the nation to conduct an investigation. Go forward with what they wish to do. I’m already sick and bored with it.)
Government information confirmed that no less than 6,200 drug suspects have been killed in police operations from June 2016 till November 2021. Several human rights teams, nevertheless, refuted the info and claimed the precise dying to face at round 12,000 to 30,000.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Watch stated the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that the dying toll was no less than 8,663.
The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, in March 2019 in the course of the Duterte administration. Incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has stated that the nation has “no intention” of rejoining the ICC. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
