THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to show proof of human rights violations in the implementation of the government's crackdown against illegal drugs.
This came after the ICC said in a report that there is a “reasonable basis” to believe that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte is committing a crime to humanity in the implementation of its campaign against illegal drugs.
PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana, however, said Wednesday, December 16, that the ICC has to show pieces of evidence of the so-called human rights violations.
"Nagbigay na po ang Palasyo ng reaksyon as regards the ICC report. We give it to Malacañang... In so far as the official position of the government, hindi po nire-recognize ang ICC report," Usana said in a radio interview.
"Kasama po 'yun sa usapin ng human rights. Kailangan naman po siguro na makita ho ano ba 'yung mga pieces of evidence na nagsasabi na may violation of human rights po," he added.
In its latest report, the ICC's Office of the Prosecutor said that it is "satisfied that information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that the crimes against humanity of murder, torture, and the infliction of serious physical injury and mental harm as other inhumane acts were committed on the territory of the Philippines between at least July 1, 2016 and March 16, 2019 in connection to the WoD (war on drugs) campaign launched throughout the country."
Earlier, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque downplayed the ICC report and tagged it as “legally erroneous.”
“We do not agree with her. It’s legally erroneous dahil mayroon po tayong minimum gravity na required. Hindi po lahat ng krimen ay nililitis sa ICC,” he said.
“Bahala sila kung anong gusto nilang gawin. Hindi po natin kinikilala ang hurisdiksyon ng ICC,” he added.
The ICC said it is expected to complete the preliminary examination on the Philippine situation by the first half of 2021.
From July 1, 2016 to October 31, 2020, 5,942 drug suspects were killed in the conduct of 183,525 illegal drugs operations, while 266,126, including 909 government workers and 3,098 targets listed, were arrested.
The said operation also resulted in the seizure of P46.42 billion worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and over P10 billion worth of other illegal substances.
The government’s drug war has been in bad light due to the alleged irregularities committed by the police, particularly in the conduct of the Oplan Tokhang where they visit drug personalities in their homes and encourage them to mend their ways.
Some Oplan Tokhang operations, however, went bloody and the police were claiming that the suspects fought it out, prompting them to shoot and kill them.
Among the examples of the police’s “nanlaban” theory were the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos and 19-year-old Karl Angelo Arnaiz on separate occasions in August 2017 in Caloocan City.
The police said the teenagers fought it with the police during an anti-illegal drugs operation.
The killing of the two has relaunched the Senate’s investigation on alleged extra-judicial killings in relation to the drug war. It was then revealed that the claims of the police were all lies and that the two were intentionally killed.
Police Officer (PO) 3 Arnel Oares, PO1 Jeremias Pereda, and PO1 Jerwin Cruz were convicted of murdering Delo Santos and were sentenced to reclusion perpetua, or imprisonment for 20 to 40 years, without the eligibility for parole.
PO1 Jeffrey Perez and PO1 Ricky Arquilita, on the other hand, were ordered arrested and were facing charges of murder, torture, planting of drug evidence and planting of firearms evidence over the killing of Arnaiz. (SunStar Philippines)