Lawmakers back call to submit EJK probe findings to ICC

Members of the House of Representatives are backing the call to hand over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) the probe findings of the House Committee on Human Rights into the so-called extrajudicial killings (EJK) of the Duterte administration.

“I do concur with the position of Congressman Dan Fernandez that it can be used not only by the ICC but anyone for that matter. For as long as it will seem valuable for whatever endeavor they might want to proceed with,” said Deputy Speaker David Suarez in a press conference on Wednesday.

Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez earlier hinted that the panel's conclusions, including the testimonies of the kin of drug war victims, could potentially serve as additional evidence to the ICC prosecutors, who are thoroughly investigating the brutal anti-narcotics campaign of the previous administration.

Assistant Majority Leader Ernesto Dionisio and Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers agreed with their colleagues' position that the records of the congressional hearing could also be utilized for other investigations and not only limited to the ICC.

"Our public hearings regarding the EJKs are all documented. It's open to the public. If it's open to the public, it's open to ICC. And for sure they can use that as a reference," Dionisio said.

“Again, it is a public record, and anyone can access these records. If the ICC would like to access this and probably feels that it will help them in their investigation, they can access these anytime,” Barbers chimed in.

The panel, chaired by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr., resumed its investigation into the alleged crime against humanity on Monday, during which Duterte and Senator Ronald "Bato" de la Rosa were a no-show.

Abante previously refrained from inviting the former president Duterte and De la Rosa into allegations of violations of human rights out of parliamentary courtesy.

He, however, believes that it is high time that Duterte realizes what he had done during his term.

The ICC has resumed its investigation into Duterte's bloody war on drugs after it was put on hold in November 2021 under the Philippines' request. 

The country attempted to block it, but it was later denied by the appeal chamber of the ICC.
The Philippines has been headstrong in blocking the ICC's investigation, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. saying it has no business meddling in the Philippines justice system

Marcos also implied that insisting on such a probe is a "threat" to the very sovereignty of the country.

Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra reiterated on Tuesday that the Philippines would not cooperate with the ICC investigation.

He, however, said that such a decision will not prevent ICC prosecutors from interviewing persons of interest or "suspects" of the drug war killings, which he did not disclose.

Apart from Duterte, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV tagged De la Rosa and Oscar Albayalde — who both served as chief of the Philippine National Police under Duterte's watch — as among the suspects in the ongoing ICC investigation. 

Albayalde, who testified during Monday's hearing, told the committee that he has yet to receive any communication from the ICC, but he is ready to face its prosecutors.

Former senator Leila De Lima, one of the fiercest critics of Duterte's drug war, dauntlessly tagged the latter as the "mastermind" of the EJK that killed at least 7,000 people from 2016 to 2022.