The Office of the Solicitor General on Wednesday disclosed that the Philippine government has appealed the decision of the International Criminal Court’s Pre-Trial Chamber to resume the investigation into the drug war killings in the country.
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra revealed that they have submitted on behalf of the Philippine government a notice of appeal to the ICC Appeals Chamber days after the ICC authorized the resumption of an investigation into the killings on the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.
“We filed a notice of appeal with the Appeals Chamber of the ICC last 3 February challenging the entire decision of the pre-trial chamber authorizing the resumption of investigation into the Philippine situation,” Guevarra said.
“This will be followed by the filing of our appeal brief before the end of this month,” he added.
The pre-trial chamber — in ordering resumption of the probe — said that it was not satisfied with the Philippine government’s investigations and that its initiatives were not “tangible, concrete and progressive investigative steps.”
The ICC also held that it had jurisdiction over the Philippines, a claim repeatedly denied by Philippine authorities.
However, even Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stressed that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the country because it is no longer a party of the Rome Statute.