Philippines cooperation with ICC long overdue – group

MANILA, Philippines — Human rights advocates are urging the Marcos administration to fast track its “long overdue” plan to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Philippine Coalition for the ICC (PCICC), a group pushing for the country’s return to the international tribunal, stressed the need to immediately deliver justice to the victims of the previous administration’s war against illegal drugs.

“The openness of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to talk with the ICC and look at possible areas of cooperation for justice is long overdue. This should be fast tracked towards complete Philippine cooperation with the ICC for the sake of the victims and their families,” PCICC co-chairperson Aurora Parong said in a statement.

“Justice must be delivered both in the Philippines and at the international level. We hope the possibility of US sanctions against the ICC will not affect the effort to deliver justice here and at the ICC,” she added.

Parong said Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla’s recent statement that the Philippines is open to limited cooperation with the ICC is “not enough,” noting the persistent killings, decades-long injustice and impunity in the Philippines.

PCICC further urged the Philippine government to dismantle death squads to stop violent and deadly attacks on people and communities, replace the current punitive policy and law on drugs with a rights-based and a public health approach, eradicate the culture of impunity and build a culture of human rights among the police, government officials and the general public.

“The human cost of ‘death squad justice’ is immense with massive loss of lives, (while) families suffer from emotional damage, stigma and discrimination. The Philippine government should lead the nation to undergo a cultural transformation to respect human lives and rights as well as ensure remedies for wrongs,” said Parong.

Remulla earlier confirmed the government’s openness for limited cooperation with the ICC, which is investigating alleged crimes against humanity committed by the so-called Davao death squad during the Duterte administration.

Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said the Philippines will respond “favorably” if the ICC seeks the help of the Interpol in implementing arrest warrants that could possibly be issued against perpetrators, including former president Rodrigo Duterte.

In a separate statement, lawyers for some of the drug war victims said Remulla’s position is consistent with the provisions of the Rome Statute, the treaty that created the ICC.

“The Marcos administration is beholden to investigate and prosecute extra-judicial killings and other such crimes. It is already haunted and blood-stained by the previous Marcos administration’s record of massive human rights violations, and it cannot afford to overlook this one,” said ICC assistant to counsel Kristina Conti.

Conti, also the secretary general of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) in the National Capital Region, said Duterte and his supporters should not “baselessly deny” that he cannot be taken to the court for trial.

“They look pathetic with their denials: that the court has no jurisdiction, that Duterte is not responsible, that the killings do not amount to crimes against humanity and, most ridiculous, that the killings did not occur. They bank on Nazi propaganda, that a lie repeated over and over becomes truth,” added Conti.

Hasten return

In the lower House, members of the Makabayan bloc are urging President Marcos to reinstate the country’s membership to the ICC.

According to Reps. France Castro (ACT teachers party-list), Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women’s Party) and Raoul Manuel (Kabataan party-list), Marcos should strengthen domestic mechanisms for justice and accountability and protect witnesses and families of victims.

The legislators also maintained that international scrutiny is crucial, given the near-zero progress of domestic investigations.

“Justice should not be limited to talks only. Concrete actions are needed for the victims and their families. Those responsible should be jailed and the victims and their families must be given compensation,” the Makabayan bloc said.

Upset

Following Bersamin’s statement on cooperating with the Interpol, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa slammed the Marcos administration anew, calling it “leaderless.”

“It (government) has no direction. Who is leading the way here? Because it seems his Cabinet is not following the President’s pronouncement that we will never recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction,” Dela Rosa said over dwIZ yesterday.

“If Bersamin is speaking on behalf of the President, then the President is the one lying now. He is the one doing doubletalk. Why is the President taking back on his word? It just goes to show his weakness,” he added.

Dela Rosa is implicated in the ICC investigation as Duterte’s righthand man and former chief of the Philippine National Police that implemented the bloody crackdown on illegal drugs. He is seeking a second term in the upcoming May midterm elections. — Marc Jason Cayabyab