No ICC return for PH despite House quad comm findings - Malacañang

Metro Manila, Philippines – The country has no plans to re-engage with the International Criminal Court (ICC) despite revelations on the bloody war on drugs of the Duterte administration at the House quad committee hearings, a Palace official said on Monday, Oct. 14.

“The Philippines will not return to ICC,” said Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in a text message to reporters.

Bersamin was responding to the call of Kristina Conti of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers and an ICC-accredited assistant to counsel, who urged the government to submit to the ICC the materials gathered by the quad comm.

“The ICC must take cognizance of any material and relevant information about the ‘war on drugs.’ Garma's testimony is very much so. We urge President Marcos to submit the quad comm investigation materials to the ICC for inclusion in the prosecution's case build-up on crimes against humanity committed in the Philippines,” said Conti, referring to the disclosure of PCol Royina Garma (ret.), a former police officer in Davao and Cebu who later on became general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office during the Duterte administration.

Conti said Garma’s revelations established a pattern of killings and identified the most responsible in the war on drugs.

“Her statement ties up why all those senseless killings on the ground happened, and on another hand, why policemen are complicit and willful participants. Hers is a powerful testament to Duterte's murderous schemes, from Davao to the rest of the country, that confirms other statements made by insiders as well,” she added.

Former Duterte officials, Senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go, and ex-spokesperson Salvador Panelo, all refuted Garma’s statements which were politically motivated.