Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is afraid.
That’s the signal he sent last week by announcing that the Philippines will withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) “effective immediately.” Duterte sought to justify the withdrawal by suggesting that the ICC’s move last month to launch a preliminary examination into killings linked to the Philippine government’s “war on drugs” had violated the principles of “due process and the presumption of innocence.”
But behind Duterte’s bluster about being “appalled” by the ICC’s concern about an anti-drug campaign that has killed thousands of people, including dozens of children, is his palpable fear that he and senior government officials will inevitably face justice for their role in those deaths.
Duterte has good reason to be afraid of being implicated in possible crimes against humanity for inciting and instigating “drug war” killings. His outspoken vow to embark on a nationwide killing campaign against drug dealers and drug users was the foundation of a presidential electoral platform that swept him into office. At his inauguration on June 30, 2016, he told the Philippine public, “If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself as getting their parents to do it would be too painful.” That could constitute incitement to commit murder.
Duterte has repeatedly called for the Philippine National Police to target suspected drug users and dealers with extrajudicial violence, which could be considered instigating law enforcement to commit murder. In August 2016 he warned suspected drug dealers: “My order is shoot to kill you. I don’t care about human rights, you better believe me.” In April 2017, Duterte welcomed a returning group of overseas Filipino workers by telling them, “If you lose your job, I’ll give you one. Kill all the drug addicts.”
Duterte’s consistent messaging of targeting suspected drug dealers and users has not fallen on deaf ears. Since taking office, his anti-drug campaign has resulted in more than 12,000 deaths. And the killings continue. Duterte and some of his key ministers have praised the killings as proof of the “success” of the campaign and urged police to “seize the momentum.”
Research by Human Rights Watch and others has exposed a damning pattern of unlawful police conduct designed to paint a veneer of legality over “drug war” summary executions
However, research by Human Rights Watch and others has exposed a damning pattern of unlawful police conduct designed to paint a veneer of legality over “drug war” summary executions. In response, Duterte and Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa have in effect institutionalized impunity for police involvement in summary killings. Dela Rosa has dismissed calls for independent investigations into police drug war killings as “legal harassment” and said that the demand “dampens the morale” of police officers. In August, Duterte vowed to “pardon and promote” any police personnel implicated in unlawful killings.
Duterte has also sought to systematically eliminate meaningful opposition to the drug war carnage. In August, Duterte encouraged police attacks against human rights groups and advocates, instructing police to shoot them “if they are obstructing justice.” Duterte has publicly condemned the official Commission on Human Rights, even threatening to abolish the constitutionally mandated body. He also repeatedly subjected the UN’s expert on extrajudicial killings, Agnes Callamard, to profanity-laced ridicule for her repeated efforts to secure an official visit to the Philippines.
Senator Leila de Lima, former chair of the human rights commission and secretary of justice, has been jailed since February 2017 on politically motivated drug charges as an apparent reprisal for her outspoken opposition to the drug war carnage. As international pressure for accountability for those deaths has risen in recent months, the Duterte government has adopted a tactic of denial and distraction to impugn the integrity of drug war critics.
Duterte is apparently hoping that announcing the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC will end any chance of being tried in The Hague. He should think again. Even if the Philippine government formally notifies the United Nations secretary-general of its withdrawal from the ICC – which Duterte’s statement did not do – withdrawal will only officially go into effect one year later. Even then, the court can still prosecute any international crimes committed while the Philippines was still an ICC member.
Duterte’s craven efforts to dodge ICC scrutiny should only heighten the urgency for a separate, United Nations-led probe into his drug war calamity. At the current session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Iceland’s foreign minister, reminded the council of its responsibility to “to try and ensure the Philippines meets its human rights obligations.” A UN inquiry would add to the international pressure on the Duterte government to stop the killings and to cooperate with efforts to bring those responsible to justice, including before the ICC.
Duterte won the 2016 presidential election in the Philippines with the slogan “Change is coming.” As he faces the increasing likelihood of an international investigation into the “drug war,” Duterte clearly now dreads the likelihood that justice is coming.
Phelim Kine is the deputy director of the Asia division at Human Rights Watch
Fake news..
I pray that an ICC isued warrant of arrest will soon be served by an internationally accredited legal body. If it were to be served by a Phil. body, I guess it will be futile because they are under Duterte’s control. How then? Who? A UN Body accompanied by Allied Forces? What will be its implications?
Birador Elmer malaki na pagbabago sa pinas brod pero sa war on drugs nahihirapan si duterte kc marami sagabal malaki pera sa drugs at gagawa sila paraan para tangalin si duterte.side ako sayo example na pagbabago..build build tapos yun tax natin aabot na ng trillion yun mga oligard napapabayad na nya mga tax at still maraming projek si duterte incoming.hnde ko nakita yan sa ibang presidente.kung babalik yun yellow malamng mauubos pera ng bayan mapunta sa bulsa ng yellow. Kung yellow nka upo ngyn in 5yrs parang drug cartel na pinas kc pinas is quick growing population.
This is not fair news.. duterte did say to police to kill the drug suspect. He said if ur life is in danger to aprehend drug suspect kill him.he said to drug suspect u better stop or else if u put the life of inocent in danger i will kill you.before duterte become president of the phil theres a lot of inocent victim became victim of this drug suspect but now it minimize already. If icc will try to aust him in office it will be a great war because people will not allowed it he is our only last hope to bring philippines in real change for good.
So many paid fake account users. Shame on these Oligarch minions.
Fact of the matter 94% of Philippine polulation are happ and 93% are sarisfied of how Duterte’s performance based on 2018 SWS polls.
HRW with its nefarious liberal agenda wont succeed in toppling Duterte from power. Coined as "fascist" and "dictator" Ph have the most local media outfits at 4,000 plus heaping, hurling and screaming out ideas, information, criticisms, destabilizations, treachery WITHOUT closure.
HRW is a Loser????????????
Rey Charles
So many paid fake account users. Shame on these Oligarch minions.
Fact of the matter 94% of Philippine polulation are happ and 93% are sarisfied of how Duterte’s performance based on 2018 SWS polls.
HRW with its nefarious liberal agenda wont succeed in toppling Duterte from power. Coined as "fascist" and "dictator" Ph have the most local media outfits at 4,000 plus heaping, hurling and screaming out ideas, information, criticisms, destabilizations, treachery WITHOUT closure.
HRW is a Loser????????????????
This writer is clearly an idiot. Theres no case yet, only preliminary investigation so what will be enforced? The President widrawn from the body because its clearly being used as a political tool against leaders of nationd fighting status quo. Ask Russia. Ask China. Ask Burundi. Ask all South African countries.
Such a waste of time reading the article.
Fake news. Fcku
Look who’s talking?!go to the Philippines and see the reality!!80% better than past 3-4 administrations.i thought your genius,but now you talk like an idiot!you have to know the story of one and the other and also know the facts!!it is like stranger dipping his hands on someone’s sauce????????wake up!!
Asia Times, purveyor of fake news. It’s time to block you out of my FB page.
Rey Charles nosense comment loser….. your mom is telling you to get a job so you could buy your diaper……….
How much money did they paid you?. You can be charged of misinformation.I dont remember ever that duterte ordered the policeman to operate with extrajudicial killings. You dont know everything you better shutp up.
Phelim Kine if you are brave enough….why not come here in the Philippines? See for yourself the true situation we have today. You’re just a paid IDIOT propagating lies about us.
Emil Navidad i think you dont know what you are talking about!pls dont just rely on what you heard or read from the news!some are trying to pull down our beloved president because of greed and power ! Majority of us filipinos are not fool and cannot be fooled this time! MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR PRESIDENT!
Emil Navidad Magtagalog I did not generalize that all the other nations supported Duterte… Only Russia and China…I think that’s what you mean by the way…
Advise lng po, kung hind mo kaya mag English, mag Tagalog na lng po kayo… Nag assume lng po ako na yun ang point that you were trying to get across….
Satta Nanttan who are you to say that our president like a protitute?
Our president is a strong man and not a puppet of any country.we can stand by our own feet and not depending to anyone specially europe and USA.
Mecker Judulang mind your own country and dont mind my country philippines.come to my country and you feel safe.
We love our Pres. Whoever discredit him, get out our motherland ,we live what he is doing againts drug, we want to walk freely at night e/out fear, those who doesn’t like are part of drug menace, CHR, under your belt, drug progate in this country
dont believe it.everything happened in our country..only duterte admin give justice.please dont write nor publish without complete information.He is the best president ever.
Limwell Taclan nothing to say? what facts? just open your mind and eyes and you the facts will be revealed. and btw, how come you would say a poor argument when you cannot even spell "argument" not "arguement" and "get you facts straight"?. well the fact is you are very poor in grammar and spelling. mag tagalog ka na lang.