EDITORIAL - Different probes

The government is still trying to determine which of over 6,000 drug deaths attributed by the Philippine National Police to law enforcement operations arose from legitimate encounters or were cases of extrajudicial killings. This involves a review of individual cases.

Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court is looking at the big picture, building a case for what accusers describe as a systematic mass killing of drug suspects, ordered or at least encouraged by a mastermind, enforced by a chief implementer and rewarded with cash and career advancement. ICC prosecutors believe this bloody crackdown could constitute murder as a crime against humanity.

So far, the review of the drug killings by the Philippine government has led to the conviction of eight policemen in just three cases. Meanwhile, the ICC is zeroing in on building cases against the person behind the drug war, former president Rodrigo Duterte, and the principal implementers of his bloody campaign.

The ICC has reportedly notified the Philippine government formally that Duterte is considered a suspect in a crime against humanity, along with two of his former Philippine National Police chiefs, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa and Oscar Albayalde.

Also reportedly included as principal suspects are PNP officers Romeo Caramat Jr. and Eleazar Mata as well as Edilberto Leonardo, now a commissioner of the National Police Commission. The three are included because their alleged actions and promotions would prove that Duterte encouraged and rewarded the killing of drug suspects.

Caramat was Bulacan police chief in August 2017 when 32 drug suspects were killed within just 24 hours, in what became the bloodiest day of the drug war. He was publicly praised by Duterte and then promoted. Now a two-star general, Caramat heads the Area Police Command in Northern Luzon.

Leonardo, a retired PNP colonel, was appointed to the Napolcom by Duterte in March 2022. The ICC has reportedly tagged Leonardo as the “paymaster” for cops who killed drug suspects, at P10,000 per head, with the payment facilitated allegedly by then PNP chief intelligence officer Eleazar Mata. Last May, Mata, now a brigadier general, was named director of the Drug Enforcement Group.

The difference in the approaches of the ICC and the government is as clear as day. It lends validity to the ICC’s argument that it must conduct its probe because of the inability or unwillingness of the Philippine government to pursue a possible case of murder as a crime against humanity against Duterte and his minions. If the Marcos administration genuinely believes that the ICC need not step in because the Philippines is able and willing to pursue such a case, it will have to change its tack in reviewing the drug killings.