Prosecutor Karim Khan asked the Duterte Administration to submit proof on drug war investigation. This came after the ICC adjourned its investigation at the request of the Philippine government. Khan said that concrete proof is necessary to carry on the request.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Khan said the proof must be concrete, valuable, and specific. It must verify the concrete steps being take in the investigation. Khan also said that all these must be provided promptly.
Last November 18, ICC announced that they were postponing their drug war review as the government filed a deferral request. In the request, DOJ claimed that their investigation on the drug war is enough and there’s no need for ICC intervention.
The National Union of People’s Lawyers and Free Legal Assistance Group, amongst other coalitions of lawyers, urged ICC to resume their investigation on the drug war. They indicated that DOJ is only investigating 52 cases out of tens of thousands of atrocities. These groups also said that the deferral request is the government way of “white washing” the bloody drug war.