Poe to gov’t: File cases on killings so ICC won’t need to take over

Senator Grace Poe. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

Senator Grace Poe has expressed hope the government would just file charges on alleged extrajudicial killings in the country so the issue would not have to go through the International Criminal Court (ICC).

A case has already been filed at the ICC by lawyer Jude Sabio against President Rodrigo Duterte and 11 other individuals for allegedly committing crimes against humanity.

READ: Duterte, 11 others accused of crimes against humanity before ICC

“I hope that our courts will make a proactive stand,” Poe said in an interview over CNN Philippines on Wednesday.

“I hope the PNP and the DOJ will file cases on extrajudicial killings so that the international court does not have to take cognizance and take over because that will just say that we are a failed state,” she added.

The senator raised the issues when she was being asked about a “secret cell” that was discovered at a Manila police station where a dozen of drug suspects were detained without charges.

Some senators have already called for a Senate probe on the issue.

Poe as former head of the Senate committee public order and dangerous drugs favored the probe.

“Rightly so, there should be an investigation towards that,” she said.

“We should not allow that because we should not lose confidence in our law enforcement and our judicial system in our country.”

“And isn’t it quite disturbing also that if that’s your child, nawala ‘yung anak mo, pumunta ka sa selda, ‘di mo nakita, walang blotter, walang record. E di parang desaparecidos, parang ganun na rin ‘yon kasi walang record,” Poe added. JE/rga