Former president Rodrigo Duterte cannot invoke presidential immunity before the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti.
The lawyer said the ICC has never recognized presidential immunity as this is limited to the Philippines, adding that Duterte also cannot invoke immunity since he is no longer in office.
She also said that anyone is also free to file charges against the former president in local courts.
“On our part for the victims of the war on drugs, under the group Rise Up for Life and for Rights, we’re putting our bets on the ICC,” Conti said in a mix of English and Filipino in an interview over ANC.
“We see that if we file one more case in the Philippines, which we can say is indeed possible, it appears that we cannot get a proper investigation. Who will investigate? Still the police,” she added.
Conti said that Duterte’s pronouncements during the Monday Senate hearing on his drug war, where he confirmed the existence of his death squad, are admissible in court.
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