The International Criminal Court (ICC) is closely “following the development” in the Philippines regarding the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
In a statement to NewsWatch Plus, the ICC confirmed that its probe into alleged crimes against humanity during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s term is ongoing. The investigation covers actions committed from November 1, 2011, to March 16, 2019.
“The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has an ongoing investigation in relation to the situation in the Philippines,” the ICC statement read.
The Office of the Prosecutor clarified that its investigation is informed by a diverse range of sources.
“They can encompass Article 15 communications, information from States, international partners and civil society, open-source information, and the direct collection of evidence by the Office, including interviews with witnesses,” the office said.
“In this light, the Office follows developments in the Philippines closely, as to their relevance for its ongoing investigation,” it added.
The ICC did not comment on how the recent Senate and House quad committee inquiries might impact its investigation into the war on drugs campaign.
“With regard to questions on details of the Office’s investigation, the Office does not comment on operational matters with respect to ongoing investigations,” the ICC added.