The conviction of a Police Colonel Dante Lubos who killed Ryan Dave Almora in his home in 2016 in the context of the drug war is a welcome development, though it came 9 years after the crime was committed. Convictions remain limited to a few cases, with no one so far involving killings in Visayas and Mindanao.
The Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court (PCICC) welcomes the House Quad Committee’s recommendation to prosecute Former President Duterte and other high officials of the government who have been responsible for the systematic and massive extrajudicial killings in our country.
July 17 is the World Day of International Justice. We note with great concern the continuing reality that justice for serious crimes remains out of reach for many victims in various parts of the world. Impunity for serious crimes and other grave violations of international law shatters the lives of families including children. On this International Day of Justice, we reiterate our rejection of the bloody war on drugs in the Philippines where an estimated 30,000 were killed, most of them poor drug users and small-time drug peddlers. The Duterte government only officially report 6,235 killed during police operations from July 2016 –June 2022. Today, the killings continue under the Marcos government.
Responding to news that President Marcos Jr. said in an interview that the Philippines might be rejoining the ICC, Atty. Ray Paolo Santiago, PCICC Co-Chairperson and Spokesperson said:
We highly welcome the International Criminal Court (ICC) Appeals Chamber decision rejecting and dismissing the appeal of the Philippine government to stop the investigation of the Philippine situation by the ICC. We have been waiting for this decision. The families of victims of the war on drugs have long been waiting for justice. As of now, many of the victims and families who suffered and continue to suffer due to the brutal war on drugs pin their hopes on the ICC as the only credible venue for justice.
The PCICC highly welcomes the laudable decisions of the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) allowing victims to give their views and concerns on this appeal and rejecting the request for suspensive effect of the appeal filed by the Philippine government. They give hope for justice to the families of victims of extrajudicial killings in the brutal war on drugs. They are flickers of light amidst the darkness of impunity in our country.
The Philippine Coalition on the International Criminal Court (PCICC) responding to the ICC’s Pre Trial Chambers to continue investigation in the Philippines. Dr. Aurora Parong, PCICC co-chair and spokesperson, said:
The announcement by the Marcos administration that the Philippines will not rejoin as a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) will not stop the ICC’s investigation into crimes committed in the country, Amnesty International said today.
All over the world every year, July 17 is celebrated as International Day of Justice. It marks the adoption of the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), a court of last resort which deliver justice for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. It also highlights the need for domestic courts to be able to prosecute and exact accountability for serious crimes that violate international laws.
PCICC responding to International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to authorize an investigation into the killings in the Philippines’war on drugs, Dr. Aurora Parong, PCICC co-chair and spokesperson said:
PCICC Co-Chairperson Aurora Parong on Spokesperson Roque’s statements that request for full investigation by ICC violates the principle of complementarity since the country’s domestic system is functioning and willing to investigate, citing investigations by DOJ:
14 June 2021