ICC reopens investigation into Philippines' deadly drug war

Tribunal not satisfied nation is willing to pursue its own probe

- Mara Cepeda

MANILA - The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday reopened its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed during former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte's bloody drug war, which killed thousands across the country.

The ICC's pre-trial chamber said that it granted prosecutor Karim Khan's request to resume the probe into the deadly drug war and other suspected human rights abuses under the Duterte regime.

This means Mr Khan may now seek evidence to potentially ask the ICC to issue summons or warrants related to the investigation.

The probe also covers the alleged killings committed in Davao City in southern Philippines when Mr Duterte was still mayor and vice-mayor there from 2011 to 2016. He was president from 2016 to 2022.

The ICC said it is not satisfied that the Philippines is willing to pursue its own investigation into the drug war.

Mr Duterte had pulled the Philippines out of the Hague-based tribunal in 2019 when it conducted a preliminary probe into the campaign that saw thousands of drug suspects killed in police operations across the country.

The ICC paused its investigation in November 2021 when the Duterte government filed a deferral to submit proof that it can investigate the drug war deaths on its own.

But the ICC is not satisfied. "The chamber concluded that the various domestic initiatives and proceedings, assessed collectively, do not amount to tangible, concrete and progressive investigative steps in a way that would sufficiently mirror the court's investigation," it said.

Official data from the Duterte government said 6,181 people were killed during the "war on drugs", but human rights organisations said the number of victims may be up to 30,000.