The International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecution has urged the Appeals Chamber to dismiss the jurisdictional appeal filed by former President Rodrigo Duterte’s camp.
This comes as Duterte continues to face an ICC case over his administration’s bloody war on drugs.
According to the prosecution, the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute does not erase accountability for killings linked to the anti-illegal drug campaign under Duterte’s term.
In a 22-page submission filed on December 8, the Prosecutor emphasized that the Court’s mandate to investigate the “murder of numerous civilians” remains valid, as legal proceedings had already begun before the Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV) also filed its response, appealing for the Court to maintain jurisdiction over the alleged crimes despite the country’s withdrawal from the international tribunal.
