ICC confirms arrest warrant for Duterte ally over Philippine drug war
The International Criminal Court has confirmed it issued an arrest warrant against a close ally of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte over killings linked to his anti-drug campaign. The decision reopens debate on accountability for the operation.
Nikkei Asia reports that the International Criminal Court has formally confirmed an arrest warrant against a close ally of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The move is a new stage in the long-running investigation into killings tied to the anti-drug campaign Duterte oversaw.
The Philippine government has been sending mixed signals on whether it will recognise the ICC's jurisdiction. Although Manila withdrew from the Rome Statute before Duterte's term ended, prosecutors note that the alleged offences cover the period when the country was a party. Government sources say they are reviewing the warrant's scope.
Human rights organisations call the decision a milestone for relatives of the thousands killed during the campaign. The current president has not commented on the legal process. Manila-based lawyers say similar steps against other senior figures could follow as the ICC builds its case file.
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