Marcos to ICC: De Lima acquittal proof that PH justice system 'working properly' | ABS-CBN
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Marcos to ICC: De Lima acquittal proof that PH justice system 'working properly'
Marcos to ICC: De Lima acquittal proof that PH justice system 'working properly'
Published Jun 27, 2024 01:20 PM PHT
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Updated Jun 28, 2024 02:14 PM PHT
Former Senator Leila De Lima attends a thanksgiving Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Quezon City on February 24, 2024, during the seventh anniversary of her arrest and incarceration in Camp Crame. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File
Former Senator Leila De Lima attends a thanksgiving Mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Quezon City on February 24, 2024, during the seventh anniversary of her arrest and incarceration in Camp Crame. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File MANILA – The dismissal of former Senator Leila De Lima’s third and final drug case should prove to the International Criminal Court that the Philippine judicial system is working properly, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday.
MANILA – The dismissal of former Senator Leila De Lima’s third and final drug case should prove to the International Criminal Court that the Philippine judicial system is working properly, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Thursday.
“Maybe this is something we should show the ICC. The Judiciary is working properly. Our investigative services are working properly and former Senator De Lima has been acquitted,” Marcos told reporters.
“Maybe this is something we should show the ICC. The Judiciary is working properly. Our investigative services are working properly and former Senator De Lima has been acquitted,” Marcos told reporters.
On Monday, a Muntinlupa court granted De Lima's demurrer to evidence in her last and third drug case.
On Monday, a Muntinlupa court granted De Lima's demurrer to evidence in her last and third drug case.
The cases, filed during the previous administration, was said to be politically motivated due to De Lima's criticism of former President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war.
The cases, filed during the previous administration, was said to be politically motivated due to De Lima's criticism of former President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war.
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The ICC is investigating the anti-drug campaign, which killed thousands of suspected drug users, according to human rights groups.
The ICC is investigating the anti-drug campaign, which killed thousands of suspected drug users, according to human rights groups.
De Lima said she would help the ICC in its probe. She also urged the Marcos administration to cooperate and "consider aiding the enforcement" of a potential arrest warrant for Duterte.
De Lima said she would help the ICC in its probe. She also urged the Marcos administration to cooperate and "consider aiding the enforcement" of a potential arrest warrant for Duterte.
But Marcos maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.
But Marcos maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.
“(De Lima) has said that she would like to help the ICC. But that’s between her and the ICC. We still stay with our position that the ICC had no jurisdiction in the PH because we have a working police force, we have a working judiciary and do not require any assistance in that regard,” he said.
“(De Lima) has said that she would like to help the ICC. But that’s between her and the ICC. We still stay with our position that the ICC had no jurisdiction in the PH because we have a working police force, we have a working judiciary and do not require any assistance in that regard,” he said.
But Albay First District Rep. Edcel Lagman said de Lima’s "much belated acquittal...of all the Duterte-fabricated drug charges against her does not evince that the Philippine justice system is working for all drug offenders and victims.”
But Albay First District Rep. Edcel Lagman said de Lima’s "much belated acquittal...of all the Duterte-fabricated drug charges against her does not evince that the Philippine justice system is working for all drug offenders and victims.”
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“As long as former President Rodrigo Duterte, the principal instigator of the drug-related extrajudicial killings is not indicted before the proper Philippine court, the Philippine justice system still fails to work for all the perpetrators and their victims,” Lagman said in a statement.
“As long as former President Rodrigo Duterte, the principal instigator of the drug-related extrajudicial killings is not indicted before the proper Philippine court, the Philippine justice system still fails to work for all the perpetrators and their victims,” Lagman said in a statement.
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro also rejected Marcos Jr.’s statement, saying “many” alleged human rights violations during the previous administration's drug war campaign have yet to be investigated.
House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro also rejected Marcos Jr.’s statement, saying “many” alleged human rights violations during the previous administration's drug war campaign have yet to be investigated.
The lawmaker said the ICC’s involvement remains crucial in holding the perpetrators accountable.
The lawmaker said the ICC’s involvement remains crucial in holding the perpetrators accountable.
"President Marcos Jr.'s attempt to use Sen. De Lima's case as a shield against ICC intervention is not only misguided but also a grave insult to the thousands of victims of the brutal drug war," she said in a statement.
"President Marcos Jr.'s attempt to use Sen. De Lima's case as a shield against ICC intervention is not only misguided but also a grave insult to the thousands of victims of the brutal drug war," she said in a statement.
"Sen. De Lima's case is just one out of thousands of drug-related cases during Duterte's bogus drug war, most of which resulted in the death of the supposed suspects. Even if we add de Lima's case to the 52 cases that the PNP and the Department of Justice (DOJ) probed, it's not even 1 percent of the 6,000 drug war deaths based on government figures, even less so when we use data from human rights organizations," Castro added.
"Sen. De Lima's case is just one out of thousands of drug-related cases during Duterte's bogus drug war, most of which resulted in the death of the supposed suspects. Even if we add de Lima's case to the 52 cases that the PNP and the Department of Justice (DOJ) probed, it's not even 1 percent of the 6,000 drug war deaths based on government figures, even less so when we use data from human rights organizations," Castro added.
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House Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, meanwhile, expressed support for the President’s statement.
House Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, meanwhile, expressed support for the President’s statement.
“’Yung dismissal ng case ni Senadora Leila de Lima, ang sinasabi natin, the Philippine justice system is working,” he said. “As a member of the administration, I would agree na ‘yung judicial processes natin is working… Dito naman kay Pangulong Duterte… maybe we can try din our courts na lang.”
“’Yung dismissal ng case ni Senadora Leila de Lima, ang sinasabi natin, the Philippine justice system is working,” he said. “As a member of the administration, I would agree na ‘yung judicial processes natin is working… Dito naman kay Pangulong Duterte… maybe we can try din our courts na lang.”
Before her arrest, De Lima had spent a decade investigating "death squad" killings allegedly orchestrated by Duterte until she was arrested in 2017 and spent more than six years in prison.
Before her arrest, De Lima had spent a decade investigating "death squad" killings allegedly orchestrated by Duterte until she was arrested in 2017 and spent more than six years in prison.
The 64-year-old vowed that Duterte would not go scot-free for the drug war killings as well as her imprisonment.
The 64-year-old vowed that Duterte would not go scot-free for the drug war killings as well as her imprisonment.
"This is my message to the former president, Mr Duterte: Now it's your turn to answer for your sins against the people."
"This is my message to the former president, Mr Duterte: Now it's your turn to answer for your sins against the people."
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De Lima had been freed on bail in November last year, having earlier been cleared of two other drugs charges.
De Lima had been freed on bail in November last year, having earlier been cleared of two other drugs charges.
The last case concerned allegations she took money from inmates inside the country's largest prison to allow them to sell drugs while she was justice minister from 2010-2015.
The last case concerned allegations she took money from inmates inside the country's largest prison to allow them to sell drugs while she was justice minister from 2010-2015.
"The prosecution was not able to prove the guilt of all the accused beyond reasonable doubt," regional trial court judge Gener Gito wrote in his verdict, acquitting de Lima and four other defendants of illegal drug trading.
"The prosecution was not able to prove the guilt of all the accused beyond reasonable doubt," regional trial court judge Gener Gito wrote in his verdict, acquitting de Lima and four other defendants of illegal drug trading.
– With a report from Agence France-Presse
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