ICC Granted Authority to Pursue Drug War Crimes Investigation in the Philippines

Building of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. PHILIPPINE STAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been granted the authority to request arrest warrants in connection with drug-related deaths. The Appeals Chamber of the ICC in The Hague will rule on the Philippine government’s appeal to halt the investigation into alleged crimes against humanity during the war on drugs under former president Rodrigo Duterte and ex-PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has made it clear that the government will not cooperate with ICC prosecutors and will not implement any arrest warrant issued by the court. However, the ICC can now proceed with determining who may be charged with crimes against humanity in the context of the war on drugs.

The ICC’s decision, published on July 18, allows the investigation to resume concerning the thousands of extrajudicial killings and rights abuses that occurred during Duterte’s drug war. Official government records state that at least 6,200 people were killed in police operations, but human rights groups claim the actual death toll could be as high as 12,000 to 30,000. Despite the ICC ruling, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, the chief implementer of the drug war, remains unfazed by the decision.