Human rights alliance Karapatan welcomes the recent decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) rejecting the Philippine government’s motion to stop the ICC’s investigation into drug war-related killings in Davao City and under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s regime.
It is high time that the ICC investigation proceeds without a hitch so that the victims of Duterte’s bloody anti-drug war can finally tread the road towards justice and accountability.
There is urgent need for international mechanisms such as the ICC to come in because all domestic investigation mechanisms presented by the Duterte and the current Marcos regimes in response to calls for justice and accountability are ineffective and only meant to window-dress the current dire human rights situation.
We laud the courage, perseverance and tenacity of the victims and their families, as well as the diligence and persistent work of human rights lawyers in pursuing this investigation. Let this welcome development further inspire the Filipinos’ struggle for justice and accountability.
We remain steadfast in the call to hold Duterte and those responsible for the bloody drug war and other human rights violations be held fully accountable