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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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February 9, 2018
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MANILA – The International Criminal Court (ICC) has informed Malacañang it will conduct a “preliminary examination” on President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs.”
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Palace received a notification from the ICC about initial proceedings on the “communication” filed by lawyer Jude Sabio against Duterte and several senior officials in April last year.
However, Roque said, “preliminary examination” is different from “preliminary investigation.” The former aims only to determine whether or not the respondent is to be indicted and put on trial, he explained.
“Preliminary examination would only determine if there is basis to conduct a formal investigation into the allegation against the President,” said Roque, an expert in international law.
But already, Roque said the preliminary examination of the international tribunal would just be a waste time and resources.
President Duterte’s drug war is “lawful and not a crime against humanity” as complained by Sabio, he stressed.
“No one should claim victory. If they think the President has been indicted, they are so wrong,” Roque said. “There is no case filed against the President before the ICC but just a mere communication.”
He said Sabio’s move aimed to embarrass the President.
“They will fail. The President said that if need be, he will argue his case before the ICC,” said Roque.
In a 77-page communication filed by Sabio at the ICC last year, he accused President Duterte of “repeatedly, unchangingly and continuously” committing crimes against humanity.
The lawyer added that, under President Duterte’s administration, killing drug suspects and other criminals has become “best practice” in the pursuit of his bloody war against illegal drugs.
The communication also alleged that President Duterte and at least 11 senior government officials are liable for murder, and called for an investigation, the issuance of arrest warrants and a trial.
Sabio also presented as witness Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed Davao Death Squad (DDS) hit man who appeared before the Senate inquiry with flip-flopping statements.
Also used in the communication was the testimony of retired policeman Arturo Lascañas who first denied all of Matobato’s allegations against President Duterte at the Senate before retracting his statements later./PN
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