Duterte ICC challenge a desperate tactic

Human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares yesterday criticized the move by the legal team of former president Rodrigo Duterte to challenge the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the alleged crimes against humanity committed during his administration's "war on drugs," calling it a desperate attempt to evade accountability.

- By JOSE RODEL CLAPANO

"The Duterte legal team's argument that the ICC lost jurisdiction after the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute holds no water. The Rome Statute clearly states that the court retains jurisdiction over crimes committed before the withdrawal became effective," Colmenares said in a statement.

"The ICC has already ruled in other cases, such as Burundi, that state withdrawal does not extinguish its jurisdiction over crimes that occurred while the country was still a party to the treaty," he added.