The International Criminal Court (ICC) has authorized Chief Prosecutor Karin Khan to reopen the investigation into the probe into the actions of Philippine security forces in the context of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s «war on drugs,» which allegedly claimed up to 12,000 lives.
The court, which is based in The Hague, has reported that one of its chambers has granted the request of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office to resume the investigations as it was «not satisfied» with the measures taken by the Philippine government.
«Several domestic initiatives and procedures, collectively assessed, do not amount to tangible, concrete and progressive investigative steps in a manner that sufficiently reflects the Tribunal’s investigation,» reads a statement from the judicial body.
The ICC investigation is based on a complaint filed in 2018 by non-government organizations and relatives of victims of the «war on drugs.» However, Duterte maintains that the ICC has no jurisdiction to try these crimes and withdrew the country from the Rome Treaty upholding the court on March 17, 2019.
The Philippine government admits more than 6,000 deaths in its controversial raids, although human rights organizations agree that the real figure could be up to four or five times higher.
The investigation was suspended in November 2021 at the request of the Philippines, which announced that it would investigate the cases before the Tribunal.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
