Bringing a case to the ICC is about exacting accountability and ending impunity for serious crimes. It’s also about trying to prevent the escalation of the mass murders which have reached alarming proportions…
Some posit the view that resort to ICC at this point is premature, citing the principle of complementarity.
I beg to differ.
The absence of a bona-fide national investigation into the killings which would necessarily look into the involvement and culpability of the President himself, and the obvious unwillingness of the State to pursue any such investigation more than justify ICC’s assumption of its complementary jurisdiction.
Have we ever heard the President say, directly or indirectly, “Stop the killings.”? Has he issued any order or memorandum setting forth rules for accountability on the spate of killings? Has he ever advised his allies in Congress to craft necessary legislation to address the EJKs?
Negative to all the above questions. Instead, what we hear from h is venomous mouth is “Kill, kill, kill,” complemented by his oft-repeated assurance to grant pardon, an omnibus blanket pardon, to police officers who may be adjudged guilty of these crimes of murder.
The barefaced reality is we cannot expect the President and his men to investigate themselves. And without an investigative output from the relevant executive agencies, our courts can only do so much. They are virtually powerless.
So, what’s the answer to the current massive human rights crisis?—The ICC, which is indeed vested with universal jurisdiction.
Instead of belittling or scoffing at Atty. Sabio’s noble move, it would do well for our national authorities to take ICC seriously.