Manila: A lawyer accredited by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday stated that additional charges might be included by prosecutors ahead of the September 23 confirmation of charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
According to Philippines News Agency, lawyer Joel Butuyan highlighted that Duterte currently faces charges of crimes against humanity due to his drug war carried out between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019, during his tenure as Davao City mayor and then as the Philippine president. Butuyan remarked that the charges do not presently include illegal imprisonment, torture, illegal detention, and other inhumane acts, suggesting that prosecutors could apply for these additional charges by September 23, not solely focusing on murder.
Regarding the murder charges, Butuyan, who serves as the president of the Center for International Law, emphasized that the number of criminal incidents is not the focal point in the case. He clarified that the ICC case aims to determine who devised the policy of killings as a solution to the drug problem. The focus is on identifying the mastermind behind the policy rather than the 30,000 deaths reported. He noted that even a single death could suffice under ICC rules if it can be proven that a policy was established to resolve the drug issue through killings, highlighting that the 43 cases cited by the ICC are more than sufficient.
Butuyan also mentioned that the completion of Duterte's legal defense team could expedite the resolution of incidental matters raised by the defense before the ICC pre-trial court. Among the preliminary matters raised is the question of the ICC's jurisdiction following the Philippines' withdrawal from the court during Duterte's administration.
In previous interviews, Butuyan suggested that the case against Duterte could potentially conclude within a year, given the available evidence. He pointed out that the evidence collected by prosecutors, including numerous videos of Duterte's declarations encouraging police to kill drug suspects and offering rewards and promotions, is substantial.
