Ahead of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s scheduled first appearance at the International Criminal Court today, Amnesty International’s Southeast Asia Researcher Rachel Chhoa-Howard said:
“Rodrigo Duterte’s appearance at the International Criminal Court is a sight families of the thousands of victims of the ‘war on drugs’ in the Philippines feared they would never see. Today shows that those accused of committing the worst crimes may one day face their day in court, regardless of their position.
Amnesty International’s Southeast Asia Researcher Rachel Chhoa-Howard
“The very institution that former President Duterte mocked will now try him for murder as a crime against humanity. This is a symbolic moment and a day of hope for families of victims and human rights defenders who have for years fought tirelessly for justice despite grave risks to their lives and safety.
“The Court must ensure that this process plays out with full transparency, including for people following it in the Philippines. It must also ensure that victims, witnesses and their relatives and representatives are fully supported and protected and can effectively participate in the proceedings.
“Accountability must not stop here – the Philippines government must rejoin the ICC and cooperate fully with the court in this case. It must also initiate long overdue investigations of its own and, where there is evidence, ensure fair trials and prosecutions for all those suspected to be responsible for violations, regardless of their rank or status.”
Background
On 11 March, upon his return to Manila from Hong Kong, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on the basis of a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against him for the charge of murder as a crime against humanity in relation to the “war on drugs”, committed between late 2011 and March 2019.
The Philippines had been a member of the ICC since 1 November 2011, but in 2018 gave a notice of withdrawal that took effect on 17 March 2019. Nevertheless, the ICC retained jurisdiction with respect to alleged crimes that occurred in the Philippines while it was a state party, from November 2011 to March 2019.
On 12 March, Duterte was detained in The Hague, Netherlands, where he will face trial. He will appear before the Court on 14 March, during which the chamber will, among others, ensure he is informed of the charges against him and of his rights under the Rome Statute and can follow the proceedings.
The ICC has been carrying out investigations into possible crimes against humanity including murders committed in the context of the deadly “war on drugs” under the administration of President Duterte and also those in Davao City by the alleged Davao Death Squad while he was Mayor of Davao from 2011 to 2016.
Amnesty International has published major investigations detailing extrajudicial executions and other human rights violations by police and their superiors. The organization has determined that the acts committed reach the threshold of crimes against humanity.
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