But Court free to use hearing records, transcripts as evidence
The executive branch will not endorse to the International Criminal Court the findings of the House Quad Committee that gathered new information on key personalities involved in the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs.
“The Philippines will not return to the ICC. Based on this, the president is not expected to change his mind and now refer the Quad Comm matter to the ICC,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said.
However, nothing will prevent the ICC from using the hearings as evidence, House Committee on Dangerous Drugs Chair and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said in a previous statement.
Barbers said since legislative hearings are public, transcripts or maybe even the records of the hearings can be used by anyone.
“If the ICC would want to use this, it’s up to them because it’s already public record. If it can help them or not, it is up to them,” he said.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said unresolved cases related to the brutal drug war of the previous administration could be reopened in light of the testimonies made by retired police colonel Royina Garma and police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza.
“I think with these testimonies, some of the cold cases will be opened. But, again, let us wait until the final hearings and final recommendations of the Quad Comm are done and then subsequent actions will be taken,” Remulla said.
He said while former PNP chiefs under the Duterte administration are innocent until proven guilty, the government will not spare anyone in its pursuit of justice.
“There are no sacred cows in this institution and in this investigation,” Remulla said.
“Anyone who is guilty, anyone who is found guilty, anyone will be treated like any other person… They will be accorded no special treatment. They will be accorded no special privileges. Everyone will face the full consequence of the law and the full powers of the PNP and the institution of DILG,” he added.
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said it would be better for the Quad Comm to turn over its findings to appropriate Philippine authorities.
“It would even be better if all pieces of evidence gathered from the congressional committee hearings are turned over to our own executive agencies for appropriate investigation and prosecution,” he said.
“The Quad Comm, on its own, may turn it over to the Department of Justice / National Bureau of Investigation or to the Office of the Ombudsman for case build-up or further investigation. The OSG’s role will come in much later,” Guevarra added.
The Philippines formally withdrew from the ICC in 2019 during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s term after the court began investigating allegations of human rights abuses during his bloody war on drugs.
Earlier, the families of victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK) urged the government to rejoin the ICC and submit evidence related to the country’s war on drugs, citing the recent testimony of Garma as crucial to ongoing investigations.
Legal counsel Kristina Conti of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) said Garma’s sworn statement provides significant insight into the pattern of extrajudicial killings and identifies those “most responsible” for the incidents.
“Her statement ties up why all those senseless killings on the ground happened, and on another hand, why policemen are complicit and willful participants,” Conti said.
Garma on Friday confirmed that former President Duterte ordered the implementation “on a national scale” of the so-called “Davao template” that rewarded cops for every drug suspect killed.
Garma revealed three modes of payment or rewards: first, for every suspect killed; second for the planned operations; and third, for the refund of operational expenses.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Philippines stays clear of ICC despite appeals from EJK victims.”
