DUTERTE CO-ACCUSED
LET’S see how this will unfold.
This was the reaction of House Assistant Majority Leader Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong on the speculations that the International Criminal Court (ICC) would soon issue arrest warrants for former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s co-conspirators in his bloody war on drugs.
The ICC is holding the former president in The Netherlands for alleged crimes against humanity.
Adiong said it would be up to the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on how to respond to a new ICC warrant for anyone accused of conspiring with former President Duterte.
“I guess the administration has been very consistent in saying that we no longer deal with the ICC. But as to the jurisdiction…the timeline kung saan nangyari itong mga allegations of mass crime against humanity happened when the Philippines was (still) a party to the Rome Statute (which created the ICC),” he said.
“Again, ang sa aking palagay from the legislative side of the government, it is purely within how the executive would respond to these ongoing cases. So let’s see how this will unfold,” he said.
Among Duterte’s alleged co-accused are Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Oscar Albayalde, who both serve as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) during his administration.
Dela Rosa is seeking reelection, while Albayalde is a candidate for mayor in Angeles City.
Dela Rosa has alternately said he would give himself up to the ICC if the tribunal orders his arrest, and he would not give up and go into hiding.
Regarding the proposal of Duterte’s defense team to limit the “range” of documents that would identify drug war victims, Adiong said the former president’s lawyers would resort to all legal maneuverings to frustrate the ICC process.
“So, I think ‘yung defense naman nila, that’s how they would approach the case. They will do anything and everything they can. They can explore any legal possibilities just to frustrate for example the case filed by the prosecution. So that’s entirely a legal maneuvering and legal strategy for the defense,” he said.
He said asking drug war victims or their relatives to present identification documents is an unjustifiable requirement.
“If you ask me, that’s like asking too much. Why would a national ID or SSS (ID) be material in filing the case no? Just to prove, I don’t know what kind evidence they would like to, what kind of additional documentation they want to ask for the victims to provide. Hindi ko alam kung how would that be relevant in the case and pursuit of justice,” he added.
Adiong stressed that the death of a drug war victim is enough evidence.
“What is more concrete as an evidence than the death of a loved one? That would be more than enough for those families of the victims who are now crying for justice. They are Filipino citizens, they have legitimate grievances and they have a valid case that they would file before the ICC,” Adiong said.
