The Commission on Human Rights maintained a commitment to work with the International Criminal Court in probing the country's war on drugs during the Duterte administration.

In the deliberations for the department's budget for 2024 before the House Committee on Appropriations, CHR chairperson Richard Palpal-latoc assured lawmakers the agency would be furnishing the ICC evidence it gathered in its past investigation.

"As you may recall, the CHR has investigated extra-judicial killings in relation to the drug war before. And out of that investigation, the CHR has generated a report on EJK in relation to the drug war," Palpal-latoc said.

The confirmation came following a question by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman about the extent of cooperation the human rights watchdog intends to grant to the ICC.

Lagman, however, hit the CHR chief, saying his statement was more of a "soundbote" and a "press release."

"You are fully aware that the official position of the national government is not to cooperate with the ICC and that bold statement is, in fact, a challenge to that position," Lagman said.

Palpal-latoc, on the other hand, countered that the CHR is "not a party" to the ICC investigation.

Government data showed about 7,000 people died in line with the government's anti-illegal drugs campaign under then-President Rodrigo Duterte. However, local and international human rights organizations estimate the death toll at 20,000 to 30,000.