ICC rejects appeal by Philippines to block probe into Duterte’s drug war

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - The International Criminal Court (ICC) decided Tuesday to reject an appeal by the Philippines against the court’s investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs.”

Three out of the five sitting judges voted against the appeal, essentially allowing the probe to continue.

“The majority finds the Philippines has failed to demonstrate any errors of the pre-trial chamber,” said ICC Presiding Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut.

However, the chamber said the ruling was “not a decision with respect to jurisdiction.”

Brichambaut of France along with Judge Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia dissented.

Judges Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru and Piotr Hofmański of Poland voted to reject Manila’s appeal.

In September 2021, the ICC formally approved an investigation into possible crimes against humanity allegedly committed when Duterte was president but suspended it in November that year at the request of Manila, which said it was carrying out its own investigation.

In January of this year, however, the ICC said it was resuming its inquiry because it was not satisfied with the Philippines’ investigation. Manila also appealed that decision.

Thousands of Filipinos were killed by law enforcement personnel during Duterte’s war on drugs, many of them in mysterious circumstances.

Manila withdrew from the Rome Statue in 2018, just weeks after the ICC initially announced plans for an investigation, with Duterte releasing a statement saying the court “has no jurisdiction, nor will it acquire jurisdiction” over him.

But the top court continues to pursue the case since, the provisions of the Rome Statute state that its jurisdiction covers crimes committed before the withdrawal.

Duterte "has shrugged off" the ICC’s rejection of the Philippines’ appeal, The Manila Times reported.