July 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Human Rights Commission of the Philippines has affirmed this Wednesday that the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reject the appeal of the Philippine authorities and to resume the investigation for crimes against humanity in relation to the so-called “war on drugs” supposes an “opportunity” for the Administration of the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to address impunity and comply with its “commitments” in the field of Human Rights.
Thus, the commission has admitted in a statement that the resumption of this investigation “is part of a fair process for the victims and the accused through an impartial procedure in search of the truth.”
For this reason, they have called on the Government to “see this decision as an opportunity to give a better meaning to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to guarantee a high level of accountability for Human Rights violations.”
In a report released in 2022 on alleged extrajudicial executions linked to the anti-drug campaign of the government of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the commission noted that internal investigations into police operations had been “inaccessible and not very transparent.” In addition, he pointed out that the Philippine National Police often “rejected, denied or ignored” requests for document review.
Now, the Human Rights Commission has shown itself willing to “collaborate and help the Government to meet its obligations when it comes to respecting and protecting Human Rights, especially those of the most vulnerable”, despite the fact that both the Ministry of Justice and the Prosecutor’s Office have shown their “disappointment” in this regard.
