ICC appeals chamber junks PH bid to suspend drug war probe

ICC appeals chamber junks PH bid to suspend drug war probe

ICC appeals chamber junks PH bid to suspend drug war probe

The Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court has rejected the Philippine authorities’s bid for the suspension of the ICC prosecutor’s investigation into the killings within the battle on medication.

The choice got here days after the Office of the Solicitor General on March 13 filed an appeals temporary which sought the reversal of the ICC’s choice to renew the probe on the anti-drug marketing campaign.

The authorities by way of the OSG requested the ICC to droop the investigation whereas the enchantment was ongoing; to droop the authorization of the ICC to research; and to find out that the Prosecution isn’t licensed to conduct an investigation.

“The Appeals Chamber rejects the request of the Republic of the Philippines for suspensive effect of the aforementioned decision of Pre-Trial Chamber I,” learn the choice signed by Judge Marc Periin de Brichambaut.

The Chamber reviewed the next paperwork: the Philippine authorities’s discover to enchantment; response of the Prosecutor to the discover; and the Philippine authorities’s appeals temporary.

The Chamber mentioned that the Philippine authorities failed to elucidate the Court’s lack of jurisdiction, to offer rationalization of the implications and scope of investigation, and that native investigation can proceed even with the continued ICC investigation.

The Philippine authorities had alleged that the ICC lacks jurisdiction and that the investigation is an encroachment on the sovereignty of the Philippine.

“The Appeals Chamber notes that while the Philippines provides its supporting arguments with respect to the absence of the Court’s jurisdiction in the Philippines Situation under the first ground of appeal, it fails to explain how the alleged absence of jurisdictional or legal basis for the resumption of the Prosecutor’s activities pending the resolution of the appeal would “defeat its very purpose and create an irreversible situation that could not be corrected.”

The Chamber additionally famous the federal government’s failure to elucidate alleged “far-reaching and inimical consequences” or implications of the Prosecutor’s actions on suspects, witnesses and victims.”

“The Philippines fails to provide any explanation as to what those implications may be and how the broad scope of the Prosecutor’s investigation at this stage of the proceedings would lead to consequences that “would be very difficult to correct and may be irreversible”.”

“Lastly, the Appeals Chamber notes that so far as nationwide investigations are involved, the Philippines is able to proceed its investigations regardless of the continued proceedings earlier than the Court,” it added.

Earlier, the ICC Appeals Chamber allowed the victims of the battle on medication within the Philippines to current their views and issues as regards the federal government’s enchantment of the resumption of its investigation into the killings.

In a 22-page choice dated March 21, the chamber ordered the ICC Victims Participation and Reparations Section to gather and transmit representations from any victims and sufferer teams and put together and submit a report. — NB/BAP, GMA Integrated News

Source: www.gmanetwork.com