MANILA (UCAN): Bishop Broderick Pabillo, the apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, the Philippines, urged the country’s president, Rodrigo Duterte, not to dodge a possible International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation if he is innocent of instigating thousands of killings in his deadly war on drugs.
Bishop Pabillo was speaking on June 16 after Duterte’s spokesperson, Harry Roque, said the president would not cooperate with any ICC probe in response to its outgoing chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, calling for a full investigation into the killings on June 14.
Bensouda, who finished her term on June 15, said there was a “reasonable basis” to believe that Duterte had committed crimes against humanity through the “widespread” and “systematic” mass killing of alleged drug suspects while mayor of Davao City in the Mindanao region. Her call came after a preliminary probe was launched into the killings in 2018.
Roque claimed the request Bensouda for a full investigation was politically motivated.
“Was it not politics the reason why the case was filed? This is now a political issue. The president will never cooperate until his term ends on June 30, 2022,” Roque told a press briefing on June 16. He also insisted that a formal investigation would be “legally erroneous” as it would question the judicial independence of Philippine courts and their ability to launch a similar investigation.
“This is an insult to all Filipinos for foreigners to tell us that our legal institutions here in the Philippines are not working to give justice and order,” Roque added.
‘Why would he (Duterte) not participate in the process? Is he hiding something? As far as I know, if someone is innocent, he should be willing … to prove he is clean and innocent,’ said one priest from Baguio Archdiocese who wished to remain anonymous
Others also questioned Roque’s comments.
“Why would he (Duterte) not participate in the process? Is he hiding something? As far as I know, if someone is innocent, he should be willing … to prove he is clean and innocent,” said one priest from Baguio Archdiocese who wished to remain anonymous.
Several Catholic groups welcomed news of a possible investigation.
“This brings hope not only to those who oppose the war on drugs but most importantly to the families whose members became victims of the killings,” Joel Carbonel, from the Knights of Columbus in the Diocese of Legaspi, posted on social media.
Bishop Pabillo said every step to end a “culture of impunity” in the Philippines must be welcomed by all Catholics.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
https://www.Facebook.com/CFM-Gifted-to-give-101039001847033
The bishop pointed out, “If they (Duterte and high-ranking police officers) didn’t do anything wrong, why not allow themselves to be investigated? Why won’t they participate?”
“In a way, it’s a welcome development because if there are no crimes committed, then an investigation will show that. The Catholic Church has long been calling for transparency with regard to how many lives the anti-drug campaign has claimed,” the bishop added.
Up to 30,000 people are thought by rights groups to have been killed in the drug war so far.
