More charges may be headed the way of former President Rodrigo Duterte on top of 43 alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) that initially served as the basis for the crimes against humanity case he is currently facing at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.
In a televised interview, ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah explained that the 43 murders represent mere samples of the EJKs that supposedly took place at the detained former president’s behest.
“This doesn’t mean that these are the only incidents that may be included in the charge. These were a sample of incidents that are related, that were, for the purpose of issuing an arrest warrant, sufficient from the point of view of the judges, to sustain the charge of murder as crime against humanity, for the purpose of an arrest warrant, which is the first step in the judicial process,” he told ABS-CBN.
“Next step, which is the confirmation of charges hearing scheduled in September, would look deeper, and after hearing also the defense, to decide whether this case should go to a trial or not,” El Abdallah added.
He pointed out that the prosecution can request the addition of more cases and witnesses as the process continues.
“Yes, the prosecutor may submit to the judges additional requests, and eventually it would be for the judges to decide whether they can be admitted or not,” El Abdallah.
The ICC’s spokesperson also sought to answer the defense’s persistent argument that 43 alleged state-sanctioned murders are a far cry from the 30,000 individuals allegedly executed under the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
He explained that only three elements have to be present in a crimes against humanity case, including: “[1] the killing one or more persons, [2] committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population, [3] with the perpetrator knowing that his or her conduct, was part of or intended to be part of a widespread and systematic attack against a civilian population.”
Meanwhile, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) argued that justice can only be served if Duterte is held accountable for crimes against humanity committed under his drug war.
On Tuesday, the group called for widespread support to block Duterte’s interim release, emphasizing that he should not be allowed to return to the Philippines to safeguard victims and prevent any interference with the ongoing investigation.
They also urged the Marcos administration to fully cooperate with the ICC.
Earlier, Duterte’s lead counsel at The Hague, lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, revealed that they would soon file a request for the former president’s interim release.
Kaufman said Duterte has the right to seek such a motion, though they have yet to determine a specific timeline for submission.
ICHRP reiterated its demand for full accountability, not only for Duterte but also for those complicit in his alleged crimes, including former high-ranking government officials, cabinet members, and Philippine National Police (PNP) chiefs who served under his administration.
“ICHRP calls on the international community to stand in solidarity with the victims by launching mobilizations and releasing statements condemning the harassment and re-echoing the calls of families for full accountability,” the group stated.
“We must not allow this re-victimization of the families and survivors who have been at the forefront of the movement for justice. We must continue to stand behind them, provide any support possible, and demand justice for the thousands of victims of Duterte’s war on the poor and dissent,” it added.
ICHRP also noted that families of the victims continue to face harassment and threats from Duterte’s supporters.
Citing data from forensic analysis group The Nerve, the coalition highlighted that Duterte’s supporters have turned to social media manipulation to influence discussions surrounding the former president’s case with the ICC.
The data found that pro-Duterte Facebook pages had allocated budgets ranging from P1,000 to P1,499 (USD 17.44 to USD 26.15) for paid advertisements embedding political propaganda.
“The Duterte camp, in desperation, has resorted to dirty tactics to try to derail the proceedings and divert the people’s attention from the real issue, which is accountability,” the ICHRP said.
“Duterte is trying to sway public opinion by playing the victim card, when in fact he was the mastermind of a brutal and bloody war on the poor that claimed 30,000 lives under his presidency,” the group added.