THE OFFICE of Public Counsel for Victims (OPCV) has submitted a 27-page written observation to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I, strongly urging the dismissal of the defense’s challenge to the court’s jurisdiction over former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The submission, dated June 9, 2025, argues that allowing Duterte to escape justice would undermine the ICC’s core purpose and deny victims accountability for alleged crimes during the “war on drugs.”
The OPCV’s key arguments against the defense’s jurisdictional challenge are rooted in several critical points:
- Prior Investigation: The OPCV asserts that the ICC’s investigation into the situation in the Philippines commenced before the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019, thus maintaining the court’s jurisdiction over the case despite the withdrawal.
- Preventing Evasion of Accountability: They argued that states should not be permitted to withdraw from the ICC simply to evade accountability, as this would allow powerful individuals to escape justice.
- Upholding ICC’s Purpose: The OPCV stressed that stopping the case now would run counter to the ICC’s fundamental purpose, which is to prevent serious crimes and protect victims.
- Government Recognition: The submission highlighted that the Philippine government’s turning over of Duterte to the ICC in 2025 demonstrates an ongoing recognition of the court’s authority.
- Justice for Victims: Crucially, the OPCV argued that discontinuing the case at this stage would deny justice to the victims of the “war on drugs” campaign.
