President Rodrigo Duterte's government needs to present evidence of its investigation into deaths under his bloody war on drugs to support its request to postpone the International Criminal Court's examination, a prosecutor of the tribunal said Tuesday.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said the need for evidence is included in the court's rules and should be submitted "promptly" once requested.
"Such information must consist of tangible evidence, of probative value and a sufficient degree of specificity, demonstrating that concrete and progressive investigative steps have been or are currently being undertaken to ascertain the responsibility of persons for alleged conduct falling within the scope of the authorized ICC investigation," Khan said.
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ICC Prosecutor Suspends Probe Into Philippine Drug War
The ICC in September authorized an investigation into possible crimes against humanity in Duterte's war on drugs but the Philippines filed a deferral request on Nov. 10, saying its own government is investigating the drug war deaths.
President Duterte has repeatedly rejected the ICC investigation, saying he would not cooperate.
Khan said even though the investigation was suspended upon the Philippines' request, the ICC would continue "its analysis of information already in its possession and any new information it may receive from third parties."
"The Prosecutor welcomes the willingness of the Republic of the Philippines to engage with the Office of the Prosecutor, and hopes that this engagement will serve as the foundation for effective communication and cooperation in the future," he said.
Since Duterte unleashed his drugs war, security forces say more than 6,000 suspected drug dealers have been killed because they fought back violently. Rights groups say authorities summarily executed them.
-with a report from Reuters