Alejano: Impeach raps vs. Duterte may prosper before ICC

Rep. Gary Alejano —JOANBONDOC

After the House justice committee readily dismissed the impeachment complaints against President Rodrigo Duterte, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano on Monday expressed confidence that the case will have a fighting chance if filed before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Confident ako na magiging patas ang ICC (I am confident that the ICC will be fair),” Alejano told reporters at Camp Crame when he and other members of the House minority bloc, or the “Magnificent 7,” visited Senator Leila de Lima in detention.

He, however, said the Magdalo group has not yet reached a decision as to whether they would push through with the filing of the case before the international court in The Hague, Netherlands.

“Hindi pa kami nag-aagree. Hindi pa namin napapag-desisyunan ng Magdalo (We haven’t reached an agreement yet. We, at the Magdalo, have yet to decide on it),” Alejano said.

Last week, the House’s justice committee dismissed Alejano’s two impeachment complaints against Duterte due to lack of substance.

READ: House committee kills impeach rap vs Duterte

The complaints were in relation to the Chief Executive’s alleged role in state-sponsored killings and the Davao Death Squad, as well as his alleged inaction to uphold the country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea, Panatag Shoal and Benham Rise.

After the cases were dismissed, Alejano said he will elevate the cases before ICC.

Alejano’s charges will not be the first complaints against Duterte in The Hague. The lawyer of confessed hitman Edgar Matobato also filed a communication before the ICC accusing Duterte of “mass murder” in connivance with the other key government officials to carry out the  drug war. He also accused the President of having ties with the alleged hit squad when he was still the mayor of Davao City. JPV /rga