A HOUSE prosecutor on Thursday rejected Vice President Sara Z. Duterte’s attempt to downplay the killings linked to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign, saying the deaths cannot be dismissed as ordinary crimes while the former chief executive faces trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon made the statement after Duterte, speaking to reporters outside the ICC in The Hague, argued that not every victim identified by ICC prosecutors was necessarily killed because of the government’s war on drugs.
Ridon said the allegations before the ICC are supported by extensive documentation and should not be trivialized.
“Well, speaking entirely on gun violence and EJKs (extrajuducial killings), alam po ninyo, very documented po ‘yung laman ng complaint, asunto laban sa dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte,” Ridon said in a press conference.
“Hindi po ’yan dahil may mga nag-away lang pong mag-asawa. ’Yung mga namatay doon ay namatay dahil nanlaban sila supposedly sa mga law enforcement na nag-implement ng Duterte drug war,” he added.
The chairperson of the House Committee on Public Accounts said the gravity of the allegations is reflected in the ongoing ICC proceedings.
“Hindi ho mababaw ang dahilan kung bakit po siya nakakulong ngayon sa The Hague,” Ridon said.
“Hindi ho natin papayagan na pababawin ng ating pong Pangalawang Pangulo ‘yung pong pagkakamatay ng napakaraming mga Pilipino dito po sa Duterte drug war,” he said.
Former President Duterte is on trial before the ICC on charges of crimes against humanity over killings linked to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
metrosundaily
