Philippines Duterte to face international scrutiny over alleged human rights abuses

International Criminal Court Holds Hearing on Philippine President’s Crimes Against Humanity

A hearing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has confirmed charges for crimes against humanity committed during former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs.” The hearing, which took place in late February, marked a rare moment of accountability for thousands of killings attributed to police and hired hitmen during Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.

The ICC three-judge panel heard arguments from prosecutors, victims’ counsel, and Duterte’s defence lawyer. Their task was to assess whether there is sufficient evidence for the case against Duterte to proceed to trial. The case focuses on 49 incidents of alleged murder and attempted murder, involving 78 victims, between November 2011 and March 2019.

Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC’s membership in 2018, which became final one year later. However, the court still has jurisdiction over the Philippines due to a preliminary inquiry announced by the former ICC prosecutor in 2018.

The hearing was attended by victims’ families, activists, clergy, journalists, and lawyers who had traveled from the Philippines to witness the moment. Duterte’s supporters were also present, while his written statement declared that he did not recognize the court’s jurisdiction and claimed he had been “kidnapped.”

Prosecutors played video footage of Duterte urging police to kill drug suspects and ignore legal restraints. The panel now has 60 days to decide whether the case will proceed to trial.

The hearing marks a significant step towards accountability for thousands of killings attributed to police and hired hitmen during Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. However, domestic accountability remains inadequate, with nearly 10 years after the nationwide “drug war” began, only five cases resulting in convictions of a total of nine police officers.

Source: Al Jazeera