‘ICC prosecutor preparing for drug war trial’

MANILA, Philippines — A lawyer representing some of the victims of the Duterte administration’s war against illegal drugs believes that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is now preparing for trial of those who allegedly committed crimes against humanity.

“For me, it is highly possible that they’ve finished the investigation and are now preparing for trial,” former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares, who is also with the National Union of People’s
 Lawyers (NUPL), told The STAR late Saturday.

He was reacting to the ICC prosecutor’s decision to open an online portal that would allow witnesses to directly submit information about the drug war.

The move, he said, does not mean that the prosecutor lacks evidence to pursue a case.

“The previous part of investigation is documentary and interviews. Now they’re asking those who have sent their sworn statements or allowed themselves to be interviewed if they want to become a witness,” he said.

“Additionally, they’re probably encouraging those from the police ranks to testify as witnesses. In any case, whatever the reason, the fact is that they have entered a new phase in the process of holding Duterte accountable for his crimes against humanity,” added Colmenares.

Earlier, another lawyer from NUPL — ICC assistant to counsel Kristina Conti — said the ICC’s witness appeal will allow anybody who has credible information on the matter to directly submit it to the international tribunal.

She said information “transmitted will be kept confidential, but with consent can be brought up during trial.”

The information may be submitted to appeals.icc-cpi.int.

A dropdown menu on the platform classifies possible witnesses, including former and current law enforcement officers, government officials and a victim or eyewitness of a crime related to the drug war.

It specifically identified agencies such as the Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the National Bureau of Investigation.

The ICC said information shared on the platform will be reviewed and that they will contact those whom they have additional questions to ask.

“We will review every submission, but cannot respond to everyone. In all cases, we thank you for your submission,” it added.