MANILA, Philippines – In a watch party along Tomas Morato in Quezon City on July 18, 2023, a sense of relief and renewed hope washed over families awaiting justice for their loved ones.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) had rejected the Philippine government’s appeal to halt investigations into the bloody war on drugs under the leadership of then-president Rodrigo Duterte.

As ICC Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut read the decision, cheers erupted from the audience which consisted of families who had lost loved ones from extrajudicial killings (EJK) under the Duterte administration.

A drug war victim’s mother, Emily, expressed her gratitude for the help and support they received.

She said that they will continue to stand their ground for their loved ones. “Kaming mga nanay, pamilya ng EJK, natutong manawagan…. Hindi po ako natakot na magpatuloy hanggang ngayon (We mothers, families of EJK [victims], learned to call for accountability…. We are not afraid to continue to this day).

Duterte’s drug war killed at least 6,252 people during anti-illegal drug operations as of May 31, 2022. This number excludes victims of vigilante-style killings, which, according to human rights groups, pulls the number up to around 30,000.

Only a few have been convicted in drug war-related killings, including the policemen involved in the deaths of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos, Carl Angelo Arnaiz, and Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman.

Families continue to face challenges after losing their loved ones to the violence under Duterte. As avenues run out in the Philippines, they pin their hopes on the ICC to help them get justice. But they know it will be a long road.

Speaking on behalf of families, Amy Jane Lee from Rise Up for Life and for Rights (Rise Up) said that only genuine change and acknowledgment of crimes committed will bring families closure:

“Sa totoo, hindi mapapawi ‘yung sakit ng pagkawala dahil lang sa sinabi ngayon ng ICC. Mapapawi ito ng panahon, ng pagkilala at pagpapakumbaba ng mga umagrabyado, at ng pagpapanagot sa maysala (In truth, the sense of loss will not be relieved by what the ICC said now. It will be relieved in time, from acknowledgment and humility of the offender, and holding accountable those who were responsible.)”

Human rights group Karapatan secretary general Tinay Palabay said that the decision should come as a shock to the country’s culture of impunity. “Isang malaking sampal po ito sa sistema, sistema na nagreresulta ng ating mga mahal sa buhay ay itinuturing na hindi tao (This is a big slap on the system, a system that resulted in our loved ones being considered as non-human),” she said.

Post-decision moves

Rise Up and the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) are optimistic as they prepare the families to provide more testimonials, documents, and other evidence to the ICC.

As the decision was read out in English and other foreign languages, NUPL lawyers Rey Cortez and Krissy Conti explained to the families the legalese and context of the ruling, and how it affects their case in the ICC. (TIMELINE: The International Criminal Court and Duterte’s bloody war on drugs)

Conti openly challenged the current administration, specifically Vice President Sara Duterte, to face the music and cooperate with the ICC investigations:

“Panawagan din po kay Vice President Sara Duterte na mag-cooperate, i-challenge… mag-cooperate siya sa probe dahil nitong panahon na ito kung hindi man siya vice mayor eh bahagi [siya] ng [Duterte] administrasyon noon (This is a call for Vice President Sara Duterte to cooperate, challenge… cooperate with the probe because even if she wasn’t vice mayor, she was part of the [Duterte] administration then).”

Human rights lawyer Neri Colmenares was optimistic about the continued ICC investigations. “[B]ecause we have strong evidence, we really hope so, that he will be the first Asian leader to be convicted after trial sa ICC for crimes against humanity,” he said. “Nanalo tayo!” – Rappler.com