[PRESS RELEASE] Karapatan welcomes HOR resolution to cooperate with ICC investigation

[KARAPATAN Public Information]

PRESS RELEASE

21 May 2024

Reference: Atty. Maria Sol Taule, Karapatan Legal Counsel, +63945-2966916

Karapatan Public Information Desk, +63918-9790580

Karapatan welcomes HOR resolution to cooperate with ICC investigation

Karapatan welcomes the conduct today of a hearing at the House of Representatives for the adoption of House Resolution 1477 calling for the government’s full cooperation with the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) of extrajudicial killings and other crimes perpetrated under the Duterte regime in the course of its anti-drug war. The resolution to be presented by the House Committee on Human Rights is the consolidated version of separate resolutions sponsored by Reps. France Castro, Arlene Brosas, Raoul Manuel and Edcel Lagman.

Victims of the Duterte regime’s drug war, human rights organizations and civil libertarians have long assailed the inutility of domestic redress mechanisms to address the grave violations of human rights, especially the extrajudicial killings of thousands of drug suspects.  The Philippine National Police admits to around 6,000 drug suspects killed during official operations, but other estimates place the number at up to 30,000, including those killed by police-sanctioned vigilante death squads.

Dramatizing the prevailing culture of impunity, there have been only three prosecutions and convictions for extrajudicial killings in connection with the Duterte regime’s war on drugs. Those convicted were mere foot soldiers, with none of the high-ranking officials who gave the orders and encouraged the killings charged.

On the other hand, the ICC investigation has for persons of interest not only Rodrigo Duterte but, among others, his daughter Sara and former PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa.

The ICC’s ongoing investigation offers a glimpse of hope to the tens of thousands of victims, given the failure of domestic redress mechanisms to address their demand for justice and accountability. #

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Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights

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KARAPATAN is an alliance of human rights organizations and programs, human rights desks and committees of people’s organizations, and individual advocates committed to the defense and promotion of people’s rights and civil liberties.  It monitors and documents cases of human rights violations, assists and defends victims and conducts education, training and campaign.