‘Probe findings deemed public records’

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III —Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — The International Criminal Court (ICC) may access the reports and other documents that the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee would gather regarding its investigation of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs, according to Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.

The opposition leader has been designated chair of the blue ribbon panel that will be looking into Duterte’s deadly drug war that resulted in the killings of at least 6,000 Filipinos.

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“Since these are public documents, I will furnish copies to the groups that may be interested in those papers. That’s my attitude,” Pimentel said on Saturday, two days before the Senate panel opens its own inquiry.

Senate permission

“But I will prioritize the Philippines’ interest. I will not volunteer [the documents] to the foreigners,” he said in a radio interview.

Pimentel said he may also seek the permission of Senate President Francis Escudero and his colleagues should the ICC request for copies of the testimonies of witnesses who would be summoned by the committee.

“Unless there’s an instruction from [Escudero] or the majority of the subcommittee members not to release the documents [to the ICC], I will share the papers,” he added.

The opposition senator said the hearing on Monday would proceed regardless of Duterte’s presence and participation in the inquiry.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa had earlier said that the former leader would attend the hearing after Duterte rejected the House quad committee’s invitation for him to appear in its similar probe.