Pimentel expects ICC to junk complaint vs Duterte

March 17, 2018

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said he expects the International Criminal Court (ICC) will dismiss the complaint filed against President Rodrigo Duterte.

“This is clearly a domestic issue, a law enforcement issue related to our anti-drug laws. So what is actually happening here? We are not yet hopeless. We have the Senate, the Ombudsman, the Sandiganbayan, Civil Service, the Napolcom, and yet the ICC entertained the complaint,” Pimentel said on radio station dwIZ Saturday.

“My fearless forecast is that it will be dismissed. These (allegations against Duterte) are not in the same level as crimes against humanity and genocide,” he added.

The complaint was filed in May by lawyer Jude Sabio who accused Duterte of ordering thousands of suspected criminals killed when he was mayor of Davao City.

Pimentel said the ICC was established to handle crimes against humanity and genocide but will investigate Duterte. DMS