The Philippine government has reaffirmed its position against rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC) despite retired police colonel Royina Garma’s exposé into alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs in one of the Congressional hearings, Malacañang said on Monday, October 14.
In a Viber message to reporters, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Malacañang will not cooperate with ICC’s investigation in response to calls from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers’ (NUPL’s) call to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to “submit the quadcomm investigation materials to the ICC for inclusion in the prosecution’s case build-up on crimes against humanity committed in the Philippines.”
“The Philippines will not return to ICC,” Bersamin said.
“Based on this, the president is not expected to change his mind and now refer the quadcom matter to the ICC,” Bersamin added.
Despite this, the Executive Secretary said that the Palace is prepared to support the filing of criminal and administrative cases against former National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo, who recently resigned after being implicated in Duterte’s illegal drug war during one of the Quadcom hearings.
However, Bersamin stressed that the decision to pursue these cases ultimately rests with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Ombudsman.
The Quadcom is a coalition of four committees examining issues from the Duterte administration, such as the drug war and the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.
The government has maintained a strong stance against cooperating with the ICC. Still, it has indicated it will not prevent the court from conducting interviews with figures involved in the drug war and potential witnesses independently.
Members of the quadcom have consistently said that the hearings are part of the public record.
These hearings have prompted police investigations, including the reopening of the case involving the 2020 murder of former police officer and sweepstakes office executive Wesley Barayuga.
Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil announced that the PNP will also investigate claims that officers received rewards for the killings of suspected drug personalities during the Duterte administration’s drug war. (TCSP)
