MANILA — A group has formally asked the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to investigate allegations that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is supposedly using the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a political weapon against former President Rodrigo Duterte and administration critics ahead of the 2028 elections.
The written submission, filed by Shunichi Fujiki of Geneva United Nations Affairs and the International Career Support Association (ICSA), accused the government of what it described as the “political instrumentalization” of international justice and urged the UNHRC to examine alleged abuses linked to the ICC proceedings against Duterte.
The filing also sought an investigation into Duterte’s alleged “arbitrary detention” and possible violations of the Rome Statute and other international laws.
Among the issues raised in the submission were allegations of “₱20-million impeachment bribery,” supposed ghost flood control projects, the alleged disappearance of billions of pesos in public funds, the alleged sale of the country’s gold reserves, and the purported use of the ICC to go after political opponents.
The group likewise questioned the drug war death figures being cited against Duterte, claiming the numbers allegedly lacked sufficient forensic and judicial verification.
The submission argued that the Philippines maintains a functioning judicial system capable of handling domestic cases, saying the ICC’s intervention allegedly violated the Rome Statute’s principle of complementarity, which gives priority to local courts.
It also cited alleged violations of Article 59 of the Rome Statute and provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), particularly in relation to Duterte’s detention and requests for provisional release.
The group further appealed for Duterte’s immediate provisional or conditional release pending trial, citing his age and health condition.
As of posting time, Malacañang had yet to issue an official statement regarding the submission./PN
