De Lima says Alan Cayetano should also be arrested by ICC
Former Senator Leila de Lima (L) and Alan Peter Cayetano | INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano does not have the right to lecture about human rights and should, in fact, also be arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC) “for enabling and encouraging” the previous administration’s bloody drug war, according to former Senator Leila De Lima.
De Lima’s comment stemmed from a video posted by Cayetano sharing a devotional topic about “crossroads” and the consequences one faces in making a decision. He then related this lesson to the government’s decision to allow former President Rodrigo Duterte to be arrested “without exhausting legal remedies.”
“Alan Peter is the last person on earth who should tell human rights organizations and human rights defenders what to do in the arrest of former President Duterte. Wala kang karapatan Alan Peter, para pangaralan kaming mga tumayo at lumaban para sa mga Pilipino Sa ilalim ng rehimen ninyo ni Duterte,” de Lima said in video posted on X on Thursday.
READ: Cayetano defends Duterte’s drug war at UN General Assembly
(You have no right, Alan Peter, to lecture those who stood up and fought for the Filipinos under your and Duterte’s regime.)
“Alan Peter’s defense of the EJKs and the drug war is well known. In fact, he should be one of those accused and arrested by the ICC together with Duterte. He enabled, encouraged, and goaded the deadly criminal enterprise that was the summary execution of poor Filipinos in the name of a fake drug war,” she added.
Citing the Rome Statute and Section 17 of the Republic Act (RA) No. 9851, de Lima pointed out that the Philippine government “may choose not to exercise jurisdiction over crimes against international humanitarian law” and “allow another entity conferred with similar jurisdiction by international law to assume jurisdiction where said entity is already investigating the accused or suspect.”
“Insofar as jurisdiction over crimes against international humanitarian law is concerned, the law is RA 9851 and RA 9851 says that the Philippine government has the option to surrender Duterte to the ICC without any judicial approval because it is a waiver of its exercise of jurisdiction in favor of the international court, here the ICC,” she explained.
LIVE UPDATES: Rodrigo Duterte at The Hague
“Kung may problema ka sa batas na ito, Alan Peter, ipadeklara mo munang unconstitutional sa Korte Suprema (If you have problem with this law, Alan Peter, have the Supreme Court declare it unconstitutional first). Until that time, please stop lecturing and whining to us,” de Lima concluded.
INQUIRER.net sought Cayetano’s comment about de Lima’s remarks, but he has yet to reply as of posting.
On March 11, Duterte was served an arrest warrant by the ICC over alleged crimes against humanity committed during his administration’s bloody drug war.
After his arrest, Duterte was transferred to Villamor Air Base headquarters before being flown to The Hague via a chartered plane. He arrived there at 11:55 p.m. on Wednesday.
