The International Criminal Court (ICC) has authorized this Wednesday the opening of an investigation into possible crimes against humanity committed in the Philippines, in the so-called war on drugs carried out by the Government of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The judges consider that, with the data presented to date by the prosecution, this campaign against drug trafficking amounts to a systematic attack against the civilian population.
The Philippines left the ICC two years ago, and only the period in which it was still a member state will be investigated: between November 1, 2011 and March 16, 2019. The Philippine authorities put “about 7,000” deaths in police raids.
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Duterte believes that the ICC is trying to violate his country's national sovereignty, as well as its presumption of innocence, and last July he vowed to continue fighting drugs.
It was during the speech on the State of the Nation, where he also assured that this battle "has reduced crime and favored peace and order."
In turn, he faced international justice, recalling his "love for my country" and the will to "end those who destroy the youth and my country."
A month earlier, an Amnesty International report called on the United Nations to immediately open an investigation into “the wave of deaths caused by the Philippine president's campaign, with impunity for the police who kill in poor neighborhoods those who appear in some drug lists ”, explained Nicholas Bequelin, regional director of the non-governmental organization. He added that the Duterte government itself has admitted "at least 6,600 deaths at the hands of law enforcement, and there is evidence that many more have perished at the hands of gunmen with alleged police ties."
On June 14, the ICC prosecutor's office requested permission from the judges to open the investigation, which now has the green light to address.
The description of the case indicates "the possibility that thousands of people have died due to their alleged participation in drug trafficking or illegal consumption."
Although some of the deceased fell in clashes between gangs, "it is alleged that many of the incidents were extrajudicial executions in the course of police operations."
The case is now in the hands of Karim Khan, the court's new chief prosecutor.
In September 2016, her predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, already expressed her concern about the situation.
In 2018, she opened the preliminary examination that has led to the opening of the current investigation.
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