By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Amid the mystery shrouding the presence of investigators from the International Criminal Court, former Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV has revealed that the investigation on the primary suspects are nearly complete and that the ICC is in the process of building a case against the alleged co-conspirators.
Political pundits told Maharlika NuMedia on Saturday that in case the ICC has wrapped up its investigation on the “crimes against humanity” filed primarily against former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, an arrest warrant can be issued anytime soon.
According to Vera Files, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio and two incumbent senators were named in documents submitted to the ICC investigating the killings related to the drug war during the previous administration and when Duterte was mayor of Davao City.
“The vice president’s name was mentioned as knowing and approving the killings when she was city mayor, a post that her father held for more than 20 years. Sara was mayor from 2010 to 2013, and from 2016 to 2022,” Vera Files said in its July 17, 2023 report.
Trillanes argued that despite ex-president Duterte’s cancellation of ICC membership, ICC still has potential jurisdiction for incidents pre-dating the withdrawal.
He claimed that the ICC has gathered the statements of the witnesses as early as February 2023 and that they will be put on record as soon as the trial begins.
“Ang aking tantsa ay finishing touches na ‘yung kaso for some of the principals. Yung iba naman, yung mga nasa secondary level ay bini-build up na o patapos na,” Trillanes revealed.
It can be recalled that then President Duterte cancelled the Philippines’ membership with the ICC following an announcement that a preliminary examination on the thousands of deaths involving the bloody war on drugs was underway.
Human rights advocates claimed that the 30,000 individuals who were victims of extra-judicial killings (EJKs) in line with Duterte’s drug war were not all drug addicts or drug pushers.
(el Amigo/MNM)
