An apparent victim of summary execution lies on the pavement at the back of the PhilPost Corporation main office in Lawton, Manila on August 18, 2017. Fernando G. Sepe Jr., ABS-CBN NewsMANILA - Family and supporters of the victims of alleged extrajudicial killings in the Duterte administration’s drug war believe the former President’s statements during Monday’s Senate hearing bolster the case against him before the International Criminal Court.

Bayan Muna’s Atty. Neri Colmenares said he would not be surprised if the ICC issues a warrant of arrest against Duterte before the year ends, which would signal the beginning of trial. The ICC is investigating Duterte's war on drugs for alleged crimes against humanity.

Duterte told a Senate panel on Monday that he instructed police to encourage criminals to fight so they will have an excuse to shoot them down.

“Pagkasabi niyang udyukan mo para kunwari nanlaban, libu-libo ang namatay. ‘Yun ‘yung isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit napakalakas ng kaso against Pres. Duterte sa ICC. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the ICC will terminate its investigation soon and issue a warrant of arrest against Pres. Duterte at least siguro before the end of this year. Pres. Duterte will be the first Asian to be tried in the ICC,” Colmenares said.

“Nananawagan kami sa ICC i-issue niyo na ang warrant. The minute that (former) Pres. Duterte said under oath that he gave the orders to kill dahil nanlaban, issue the order to arrest Duterte and his cohorts,” Karapatan’s Tinay Palabay added.

Colmenares noted that the President’s statement goes against the “self-defense” argument of policemen involved in the killing of so-called “nanlaban” drug suspects or those who allegedly resisted arrest. Colmenares explained that under the law, among the elements to successfully invoke self-defense are the establishment of unlawful aggression on the part of the victim, and the lack of sufficient provocation on the part of the person resorting to self-defense.

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“Lahat ng police ngayon na nagke-claim na nanlaban, hindi na nila magagamit ang depensang ‘yan. In-explose niya na hindi totoo ‘yung nanlaban narrative… Naamin niya unwittingly doon sa Senado. Kaya parang ipinagkanulo niya pa ang pulis niya,” he said.

“‘Yung claim niya na I will take full responsibility of everything that happened, alam niya drama ‘yun. Alam niya pampapogi ‘yun. Kasi sa ilalim ng batas sa Pilipinas, unlawful orders are not a defense,” Colmenares noted. 

Llore Pasco, whose two children died in the Duterte administration’s drug war, urged the government to cooperate with the ICC, and called for justice. 

Papasukin ang ICC at isuko na itong si Duterte,” she urged the Marcos Jr. administration. 

“Nakikita talaga namin na wala siyang pagsisisi. Nararamdaman namin na nagmamalaki pa siya. Hanggang ngayon sinasabi niya, “O bakit hindi n’yo ako sampahan ng kaso?” Syempre dito sa atin hindi siya masasampahan ng kaso dahil marami siyang kakampi,” Pasco added. 

“Kami na mga magulang, kaanak ng mga pinaslang ay sobrang nadidismaya. Dahil hanggang sa ngayon, ay wala pa kaming hustisyang nakakamit,” she noted. 

Pasco also expressed dismay over what she observed was an absence of remorse from Duterte regarding the drug war deaths, when he attended the Senate hearing. 

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“Nakikita talaga namin na wala siyang pagsisisi. Nararamdaman namin na nagmamalaki pa siya. Hanggang ngayon, sinasabi niya, “O bakit hindi n’yo ako sampahan ng kaso?” Syempre dito sa atin hindi siya masasampahan ng kaso dahil marami siyang kakampi,” she said. 

“Kaya pinili niya sa Senate dumalo dahil alam niyang marami siyang kakampi.... Ang pagdalo sa Senado ni Duterte ay nagpapakita lang na namimimili siya ng pupuntahan, namimili siya ng taong gusto niyang kaharapin… Noong nakaraang hearing ng Quad Comm, inimbita rin siya. Pero ano ang sinabi niya? Not feeling well. Need more rest… Sana huwag lang rest in peace. Dahil gusto pa namin siyang panagutin sa kanyang mga krimeng ginawa,” Pasco added. 

“Sarkastiko po siya. Wala siyang malasakit. Wala siyang puso sa aming mahihirap. Ang tingin niya sa amin ay parang hayop lang na kahit anong gagawin niya, patayin man niya, nasa isip niya wala kaming kwenta, wala siyang pakinabang sa amin,” she noted. 

National Union of People’s Lawyer Atty. Rey Cortez expressed doubts a case against Duterte will prosper in the country, noting that securing documents on police investigations into the drug war has been a challenge. 

Colmenares welcomed the social media post of former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV that transcripts of pertinent portions of the Senate and the House Quad Comm hearings have already been transmitted and duly received by the ICC.

On Wednesday, the family and supporters of alleged EJK victims held placards with the face of Duterte and a message “Duterte ikulong”, as they chanted “Hustisya!” 

ABSURD, HYPOCRITICAL

Colmenares also slammed as “absurd” and “hypocritical” the presence of Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Bong Go in the Senate hearing on the Duterte administration’s drug war. The two were implicated in the alleged reward systems for cops who would kill drug suspects, but they both denied such a scheme existed. 

PHOTO: Victims protest as Duterte faces Senate hearing

“They have already prejudged the investigation. So why are they even there? And why is the Senate allowing them to be there? Is it not an absurdity on the part of the Senate?” Colmenares said. 

“Masakit sa loob ng mga kaanak na ‘yung mga taong tingin nilang responsable sa pagkamatay ng kanilang anak ay ini-interrogate sila. Sabi ni Gen. Bato gusto lang nila lumabas ang katotohanan. 2016 to 2022 humihingi kami ng katotohanan, ayaw nila ilabas. Lahat ng dokumento ayaw nila ilabas. Tapos ngayon bigla kang interesadong lumabas ang katotohanan? That is really hypocritical on the part of Gen. Dela Rosa and those accused,” he added. 

Kabataan Party List Raoul Manuel shares Colmenares’s sentiment, citing “conflict of interest” in allowing Dela Rosa and Go to participate as interpellators in the Senate investigation.

“Dapat lang na umupo sila hindi bilang mga interpellator. Dahil may conflict of interest kung ganoon ang kanilang magiging papel sa inquiry. Dapat si former PNP Chief Bato dela Rosa at former Presidential Assistant Bong Go ay umupo bilang resource persons, at malinaw na kapag resource person, ang trabaho ay sumagot sa mga tanong. Hindi dapat sila ‘yung nag-pose ng mga tanong. Kaya tuloy naba-bastardize nila ‘yung tunguhin na magkaroon ng mga patas na imbestigasyon na ang layunin ay mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga naging biktima ng drug war ni Rodrigo Duterte. Nakakadismaya at nakakainsulto din na tawagin ni former PNP Chief Bato dela Rosa na propaganda lang ang paglalahad ng testimonya ng mga pamilya at kinatawan ng biktima ng drug war,” Manuel said.

“Doon mismo sa mga nabanggit, sa mga nasabi ni dating Pangulo Rodrigo Duterte, all the more na kumakapal na ang mga ebidensya na pwedeng magamit ng ICC para mag-proceed ang kanyang investigations… (01:08) State policy ang patayan sa ilalim ng kanyang administrasyon. Kaya naman hindi na maikakaila at hindi na maidadaan sa mga palusot na joke lang ‘yung kanyang sinabi. Kasi on the record nag-oath siya at nag-testify sa isang official proceeding ng legislative branch. (04:40) Dapat mag-cooperate na ang iba’t-ibang ahensya sa ICC, para once and for all, mapanagot ang mga dapat mapanagot,” he added.