“Even tomorrow, go ahead and sue me.”
This was the challenge posed by former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to immediately start their investigation regarding the case of crimes against humanity related to his anti-drug campaign.
During the continuation of the House Quad Committee hearing, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas asked Duterte if he was willing to cooperate with the investigation, including the ICC probe, to which Duterte responded that he was ready to begin as soon as tomorrow (Thursday).
“ICC, Ma’am? I am asking the ICC to hurry up, and if possible, they can come here and start the investigation tomorrow. This issue has been left hanging for so many years. It’s taking too long, Ma’am; I might die before they can investigate me. So I’m asking the ICC through you to come here tomorrow and start the investigation,” Duterte stated.
Duterte insisted that he would accept the sentence imposed against him if found guilty.
“If I am found guilty, I will go to prison and rot there for all time,” Duterte added.
Several cases of crimes against humanity or mass murder have already been filed against Duterte and other police officers at the ICC.
According to data, around 6,500 drug suspects were killed in legitimate police operations between 2016 and 2022, however, based on a report by human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, there were 20,322 drug war-related deaths from July 1, 2016, to November 27, 2017.
PH Becomes a Killing Field
With the number of drug suspects and innocent civilians killed during the Duterte administration, the Philippines has become a “killing field,” according to Manila Rep. Benny Abante.
In his opening statement, Abante, Co-Chairman of the House Quad Committee and Pastor of the Baptist Church, mentioned that they supported Duterte’s candidacy in 2016 but later became disappointed with his administration due to the deaths of thousands of Filipinos in the war on drugs.
“We did not expect why it was necessary to kill thousands of Filipinos, more than 30,000 in fact. Out of more than 30,000, only 7,000 were drug suspects,” said Abante.
“Our country has become a killing field. We have surpassed Mexico and Colombia, where no more than 10,000 people died,” he added, noting that among those killed were children and innocent civilians.
