open sign on letter to the international criminal court

OpenSignonLettertotheInternationalCriminalCourt

Ms.FatouBensoudaOfficeoftheProsecutorInformation&EvidenceUnitPostOfficeBox19519 2500CMTheHagueTheNetherlandsProsecutorBensouda,Wearewritingregardingthemasskillingsofpeoplewhouse,orareinvolvedwith,drugsinthePhilippines.Our request is that you initiate a preliminary examination of the situation in the Philippines for CrimesAgainstHumanityleadingtoaninvestigationasempoweredtodosounderArticle15oftheRomeStatute.Tosupport our request, we detail known information satisfying the statutory criteria of Jurisdiction,Admissibility and the Interests of Justice, 1 as well as exceeding the reasonable basis 2 requirement.Furthermore,detailsareprovidedtomeettheoverarchinggoalsoftheInternationalCriminalCourtofendingimpunityandbringingtojusticethosemostresponsible.OverviewFollowing his inauguration President Rodrigo Duterte, began vigorously fulfilling his public campaign3promisetokill100,000people(iftheyareinvolvedwithdrugs/prohibitionrelatedcrime)withinhisfirstsixmonthsofbeing inoffice4. Since30 June2016,a reported13,0005peoplehavebeenkilledextra judiciallyunder Duterte’s plan. This is almost four times the total number of killings during the 20-year reign ofPhilippine Dictator, FerdinandMarcos6. In addition, an estimated onemillion people have been forced tosurrender7underthethreatofdeath.Manyhavebeenconfinedininhumaneconditionsofovercrowdedjails;othersaresubjecttotorturetacticssuchasblindfoldingandbeinghosedwithwaterinwhatisdubbed“drugrehab8.”President Duterte has offered rewards, bonuses, accolades and protection910for those who kill peopleinvolvedwithdrugs. ThiscarefullycraftedcultureofimpunityformassextrajudicialkillingswasdisplayedduringRodrigoDuterte’stimeasMayorofDavao. Duringthattime,theDavaoDeathSquadenjoyedpublicpolitical approval and in some cases, the direct involvement of government officials andmembers of thepolice,asnotedbyHumanRightsWatch11.WhiletheactionsduringhistimeasMayorarenotsubjecttothe

1ICCPublicPolicyPaperonPreliminaryInvestigations,Paragraph2November2013http://www.legal-tools.org/uploads/tx_ltpdb/OTP_-_Policy_Paper_Preliminary_Examinations_2013-2.pdf2ICCPublicPolicyPaperonPreliminaryInvestigations,Paragraph5November2013http://www.legal-tools.org/uploads/tx_ltpdb/OTP_-_Policy_Paper_Preliminary_Examinations_2013-2.pdf3“Duterte’sThreattoDemocracy”TheJapanTimesAugust28,2016http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/08/28/editorials/dutertes-threat-democracy/#.WAgh4zt7rdk4“Whois'ThePunisher'RodrigoDuterte–thetough-talkingmayorpoisedtobecomethenextPhilippinepresident?”TheTelegraph,9May2016http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/08/philippines-poised-to-elect-tough-talking-punisher-rodrigo-duter/5 “Timelinetohell:Duterte’smurderous‘one-timebig-time’push”TheManilaTimes,22August2017http://www.manilatimes.net/timeline-hell-dutertes-murderous-one-time-big-time-push/346017/ 6“3,257:FactcheckingtheMarcoskillings,1975-1985”TheManilaTimes,Reyes12April2016http://www.manilatimes.net/3257-fact-checking-the-marcos-killings-1975-1985/255735/7“Philippinedrugwarnets1millionpeople”Cruz,News.Com.Au27December2016http://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/philippines-raids-seize-nearly-ton-of-meth/news-story/ca57d6bc14d13691d365d30aa8cafcea8“Blindfoldedandhosedwithwater”TheGuardian,Castro28October2016https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/gallery/2016/oct/28/blindfolded-hosed-with-water-drug-rehab-philippines-in-pictures9“RodrigoDuterte:Shootadrugdealer,getamedal”AlJazeera5June2016http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/rodrigo-duterte-shoot-drug-dealer-medal-160605140900213.html10“Philippines'RodrigoDuterte:Public'cankill'criminals”CNN6June2016http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/06/asia/duterte-drug-dealers-lethal-force-vigilantism/11“YouCanDieAnytime:DeathSquadKillingsinMindinao”HumanRightsWatch6April2009https://www.hrw.org/report/2009/04/06/you-can-die-any-time/death-squad-killings-mindanao

jurisdictionoftheICC,astheyoccurredpriortotheentryintoforceforthePhilippinesoftheRomeStatute;none-the-less, they show a career-length intention to cause and increase the number of mass killings ofcivilians.PresidentRodrigoDutertehaspubliclycomparedhimselftoAdolfHitler,sayinghewouldliketoslaughter3milliondrugusersinthePhilippines.Underhispolicy,whichpromotedrampantvigilantism,hereferredtothemanychildrenandadultskilledas“collateraldamage12.”AlistofstatementsbyPresidentRodrigoDuterteand other key national Philippine leaders are included in a summary at the end of this letter. Thesestatementsprovetheclear intentionofcausingmasskillings, fosteringrampantvigilantism,andprotectingthosewhocommitthekillings,underacultureofimpunityonanationalscale.AsnotedbyJoseLuisMartinGascon, Chairmanof thePhilippines’ Commission onHumanRights, “The other problem, of course, is thatwhenyoudo(a)namingandshaminginthecurrentenvironment,youplacethesepersonsatpotentialriskofattacksfromvigilantes13.”

JurisdictionTemporal/EntryintoForceRome Statute Article 12 (1) The International Criminal Court has jurisdiction only with respect to crimescommittedafterentryintoforceoftheRomeStatute.ThePhilippineNationenteredintoforcewiththeRomeStatuteson1November2011,havingdepositeditsinstrumentofratificationon30August2011(documentattached);therefore,rationaetemporisasrequiredunderArticle11oftheRomeStatutesisPROVEN.MaterialJurisdictionRomeStatute–Article5(b)The jurisdictionof theInternationalCriminalCourt is limitedtothemostseriouscrimesofconcerntotheinternationalcommunityasawhole.Thisclaim,basedontheincludedinformation,detailsthemostseriouscrimesofconcerntotheInternationalCommunityasawhole.TerritorialorPersonalRomeStatute - Article 12 (a)-(b)The courtmay exercise its jurisdiction if the State or territory ofwhich theconductinquestionoccurred,or…theStateofwhichthepersonaccusedofthecrimeisanational.As the crimes are taking place in the Philippine Nation, a State Party to the Rome Statutes, those mostresponsible arePhilippineNationals andprominentmembersof thePhilippineNationalGovernment, bothterritorialandpersonaljurisdictionareSATISFIED.AdmissibilityComplementarityAspreviouslystatedbytheICC:InactiononthepartofaStatehavingjurisdiction(thatis,thefactthataStateisnot investigatingorprosecuting, orhasnotdone so) rendersa caseadmissiblebefore theCourt, subject toarticle 17 (1) (d) of the Statute14 . This sentiment is further reinforced in the Informal expert paper:

12“DutertesayschildrenkilledinPhilippinesdrugwararecollateraldamage”theGuardian–October17,2016https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/17/duterte-says-children-killed-in-philippines-drug-war-are-collateral-damage13“TheKillingTime:InsidePhilippinePresidentRodrigoDuterte’sWaronDrugs”Time25August2016http://time.com/4462352/rodrigo-duterte-drug-war-drugs-philippines-killing/14AppealsChamber,JudgmentontheAppealofMr.GermainKatangaagainsttheOralDecisionofTrialChamberIIof12June2009ontheAdmissibilityoftheCase,ICC-01/04-01/07-1497,Page3KeyFindingsParagraph2https://www.icc-cpi.int/pages/record.aspx?uri=746819

Theprincipleofcomplementarity inpractice15. The domestic inactivity on these crimes against humanity isreinforcedbynationalleaders’statements,whichunderscorethecultureofimpunity.GovernmentinquiriesintomurderstakingplaceontheordersofPresidentDutertehavebeenquicklyshutdown.16Theabsenceofany serious inquiry into thesemass killings, which are against the Philippine Constitution, Philippine lawagainstmurder,andothercourtfindings,asdetailedbyAmnestyInternational17,isevidenceofgraveinactionbythestate.Furthermore,itshouldbenotedthattheintensityofthekillingsasreferencedintheoverviewsection,didnotexist on the current scale until Rodrigo Duterte assumed the Office of the Presidency. There are severalnationalleaders,whichhavemadestatementssupportingthemasskillingsandthecultureofimpunity(listedin the appendix). It is clear that focusing the efforts of theOTP and the ICC on PresidentDuterte and theNationalLeadersintheAppendix,willbedirectingitseffortsinacomplementarynaturebytargetingthosewhoaremostresponsibleforthemostseriouscrimes.GravityRomeStatute–Article5ThejurisdictionoftheCourtshallbelimitedtothemostseriouscrimesofconcerntotheinternationalcommunityasawhole.Thescale,nature,mannerof commissionand impactof thecrimesagainsthumanityareparticularlygraveduetothetemporalnatureofthecrimesshowinghighintensityoverashorttimeperiodwithapproximately13,000peoplekilledsince30June2016.Thesecrimesagainsthumanityareamongstthemostseriouscrimesofconcerntotheinternationalcommunityasawholeandthereforeareofsufficientgravity18.In addition, aggravating factors under Rome Statute 145 (2) (b)(ii)-(v) include abuse of power or officialcapacity(prominentactorsareofthehighestlevelsofgovernment),defenselessnessofthevictim(drugusersarestigmatized),commissionofthecrimewithparticularcrueltyormultiplevictims(13,000victims,manybound with masking tape19, or shot to death) and lastly, motive involving discrimination on any of thegroundsreferredtoinRomeStatuteArticle21Paragraph3whichincludes“otherstatus”fittingthedruguserlabelingbyDuterte.

Thesecrimesshowtheoverwhelmingpublicsupport(materialandpolitical)bythePresident,thePhilippineNational Police Chief RonaldDela Rosa and Philippine Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. Additionally,therehavebeenthreatsbythePresidenttoshutdowntheLegislatureandimposemartiallaw20,includingthearrestandincarcerationofhismostvocalcriticinthePhilippineSenate,SenatorLeiladeLima.CrimesAgainstHumanityRomeStatute–Article7(1)(a)Requirescertainelementsincludingthattheindividualskilled(orcauseddeath),theconductwascommittedaspartofawidespreadorsystematicattackdirectedagainstacivilianpopulationandthattheperpetratorknewthattheconductwaspartoforintendedtheconducttobepartofawidespreadattackagainstacivilianpopulation.

15“Informalexpertpaper:Theprincipleofcomplementarityinpractice”InternationalCriminalCourt–OfficeoftheProsecutor,2003SectionIII3(c),paragraph34https://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/rdonlyres/20BB4494-70F9-4698-8E30-907F631453ED/281984/complementarity.pdf16“Citinglackofproof,PhilippinesenatorsendDuterte'deathsquad'inquiry”Reuters-6March2017http://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-drugs-senate-idUSKBN16D0DX17“Ifyouarepooryouarekilled”ExtrajudicialKillingsinthePhilippines“WaronDrugs”AmnestyInternational2017https://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/philippines_ejk_report_v19_final_0.pdf18SituationintheRepublicofKenya–InternationalCriminalCourt,Paragraph56,–31March201019Dutertewagesbrutalwarondrugs”–Reuters30December2016http://www.reuters.com/news/picture/duterte-wages-brutal-war-on-drugs?articleId=USRTX2U0GF20“ThisIsWhyPhilippinePresidentRodrigoDuterteWillGetAwayWithMurder”–Time16August2016http://time.com/4453587/philippines-rodrigo-duterte-dictator-impunity-marcos/

The statements of President Duterte, time and again, reinforce his national plan and his intent to causewidespreaddeathsofpeoplewhousedrugs.TheInternationalCriminalCourthasfoundthatinthesecasesthepolicyneednotbeexplicitlydefined21butthepublicstatementsofPresidentDuterteandotherprominentnationalgovernmentleadersconfirmthisoutright.

ReasonableBasisRomeStatute53 (1) (a)– (c)The informationavailable to theprosecutorprovidesa reasonablebasis thatacrimeisbeingcommitted;thecasewouldbeadmissibleunderArticle17;takingintoaccountthegravityofthecrimeandtheinterestsofthevictims,therearenonethelesssubstantialreasonstobelievethataninvestigationwouldnotservetheinterestsofjustice.The information provided to the prosecutor in this letter cites multiple credible news outlets, multiplecredibleglobalNGOsandofcourse,themostcondemninginformationputfortharethewordsofthosemostresponsible for the deaths, who shamelessly brag about their crimes against humanity and speak ofcontinuingtheirplanofextrajudicialkillings.ThecasemeetstheadmissibilitycriteriaasperArticle17andlastlythecountervailingelementoftheInterestsofJusticeareserved.Withthisinformation,wetheundersignedstates,organizationsandadvocatescalluponyoutoimmediatelyinitiate a propio motu investigation to seek approval from the International Criminal Court for a fullinvestigation,asanydelaywillonaverage,resultin30deathsperdayornearly1,000moredeathspermonthinwhichjusticeisnotserved.

21SituationintheRepublicofKenya–InternationalCriminalCourt,Paragraph84,–31March2010

Signatories:OrganizationsANewPATH(ParentsforAddictionTreatmentandHealing)ActionDeChrétiensActivistesDesDroitsDeL’hommeAShabunda(ACADHOSHA)akzepte.V.,BundesverbandfürakzeptierendeDrogenarbeitundhumaneDrogenpolitik(Germany)AndeanInformationNetworkAPCASO(Thailand)AsiaCatalystAsianNetworkofPeopleWhoUseDrugs(ANPUD)AsociaciónCostarricensedeEstudioseIntervenciónenDrogas(ACEID)AsociaciónFeministalaCuerda–GuatemalaAssonabisAustralianInjecting&IllicitDrugUsersLeague(AIVL)BadAssTeachersAssociationBarreauPenalInternationalCriminalBar(BPI-ICB)BOOM!Health(NewYork)BrazilianHarmReductionandHumanRightsNetworkCenterforDrugUseandHIV/HCVResearchCentroBrasileirodePolíticadeDrogas-PsicotrpicusBrokenNoMoreCanadianStudentsforSensibleDrugPolicyChicagoRecoveryAllianceClergyforaNewDrugPolicyColectivoEcológicoMadreselva-GuatemalaComisiónMexicanadeDefensaCorruptionBrakesCrusade(COBRA)DeathPenaltyFocusDenverReliefConsulting(Business)DrugPolicyAllianceEADUMC(EthioAfricaDiasporaUnionMillenniumCouncil)ElCentrodeOrientacióneInvestigaciónIntegral(COIN)EmpireStateNORML(theNewYorkStateChapteroftheNationalOrganizationfortheReformofMarijuanaLaws)FAAAT(FoundationforAlternativeApproachestoAddiction,Think&dotank)FamiliesforSensibleDrugPolicyFilipinoAmericanHumanRightsAlliance(FAHRA)ForumDrogheHarmReductionAustraliaHelpNotHandcuffs,Inc.HealthPovertyActionHumanRightsCentreHumanRightsInformationCenter(Ukraine)HumanasColombiaHumanitarianLawCenterKosovoHumboldtStateUniversity,InstituteforHarmReductionICEERSFoundationInstituteforPolicyStudiesDrugPolicyProjectInternationalCentreforScienceinDrugPolicy(ICSDP)

InternationalDrugPolicyConsortium(IDPC)InternationalNetworkofPeoplewhouseDrugs(INPUD)LatinoaméricaReformaLawEnforcementActionPartnershipMarijuanaPolicyProjectMENANPUD(MiddleEast&NorthAfricanNetworkforPeoplewhoUseDrugs)MomsStoptheHarmMomsUnitedtoEndtheWaronDrugsMultidisciplinaryAssociationofPsychedelicStudiesmumsDU-momsunitedandmandatedtosavingthelivesofDrugUsers(Canada)MuseoMemoriayToleranciaNAMANorthCarolinaNationalAdvocatesforPregnantWomenNationalAssociationofSocialWorkers(NASW)NewZealandDrugFoundationNewsweed.frNGOAdvocacyAdvisoryNovemberCoalitionNSWUsersandAIDSAssociation(NUAA)PhilippineAllianceofHumanRightsAdvocatesPhilippineHumanRightsInformationCenterPromocióndelosDerechosHumanosA.C.QuadCitiesHarmReduction(Iowa)Release(UK)SeattleHEMPFEST®SocietyfortheProtectionoftheRightsoftheChild(SPARC)St.Ann'sCornerofHarmReduction(Bronx,NewYork)StopTheDrugWar.orgStudentsforSensibleDrugPolicyStudentsforSensibleDrugPolicyAustraliaSURUWAT(Nepal)TheAfricanFederationAssociation-AFAWFMUGANDATheBaltimoreHarmReductionCoalitionTheBeckleyFoundationTheCenterforHarmReductionTherapy(SanFrancisco)TheCommunityHealthOutreachWorktoPreventAIDSProject(Honolulu)TheDrugSalvationFoundationTheNetherlandsDrugPolicyFoundationTrinityUnitedChurchofChrist,ChicagoUnionInternationaledesAvocats(UIA–InternationalAssociationofLawyers)UnitedStatesAllianceofDrugUsersUrbanSurvivor'sUnionUrbanSurvivorsUnion(Piedmont,WashingtonandSeattlechapters)VicenteSederbergLLC(Business)VirginiansAgainstDrugViolenceVisionGRAM-InternationalZimbabweCivilLibertiesandDrugNetwork

AdvocatesArildKnutsen,headofTheAssociationforHumaneDrugPolicy,NorwayAttorneyJudeSabioBrettWolfson-Stofko,PhDPost-DoctoralFellowBehavioralSciencesTrainingProgramCarolineS.Conzelman,Ph.D.,SeniorInstructor,UniversityofColorado-BoulderBoardofDirectors,AndeanInformationNetwork,BoliviaCharlesM.GiattinoPhDCandidate,NeuroscienceDukeUniversityDonnaMayFor/mumsDU-momsunitedandmandatedtosavingthelivesofDrugUsersDr.AlexWodakAMPresident,AustralianDrugLawReformFoundationEricLachica,FilipinoAmericanAdvocateJamesE.Gierach,formerAssistantState’sAttorneyofCookCounty,HomicideUnitJohnWashburn,AmericanNGOCoalitionfortheInternationalCriminalCourt(Informationprovidedforidentificationonly.)KayvanKhalatbari,FoundingPartner,DenverReliefConsultingNormStamper,SeattleChiefofPolice(Ret.)PaulBenhaim,HempFoodsAustralia

Mr.RobertSuarez

KeyStatementsofNationalLeaders:PresidentRodrigoDuterte“Iwillissue1,000pardonsaday…. PardongiventoRodrigoDuterteforthecrimeofmultiplemurder,signedRodrigoDuterte” Fox News 28 April 2016 http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/04/28/philippines-presidential-candidate-ill-pardon-myself-for-mass-murder.html“PardongiventoRodrigoDuterteforthecrimeofmultiplemurder,signedRodrigoDuterte”Philippine Presidential Front-Runner Duterte Says He Will Pardon Himself for Mass Murder – Time, April 28, 2016http://time.com/4310651/duterte-philippines-murder-pardon-himself/"BecarefulwithmebecausewhenIsayIwilldoitformycountry,IwilldoitevenifIhavetokillyouorbekilledintheprocess”(ThreateningLegislators)“Philippines'Duterterejectscriticismoverkillings”http://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-duterte-drugs-idUSKCN10U16T“AdolfHitlerhadkilledthreemillionJews.Iwouldbehappytoslaughterthreemillionaddicts”USlawmakerswarnextrajudicialkillingsinFilipinoPresidentDuterte’sdrugwarcouldaffectaidSouthChinaMorningPosthttp://www.scmp.com/news/asia/diplomacy/article/2024292/us-lawmakers-warn-extrajudicial-killings-filipino-president“Ifyouknowofanyaddicts,goaheadandkillthemyourselvessgettingtheirparentstodoitwouldbetoopainful”“More than 700 people killed in the Philippines drugs crackdown” The Guardian 2 August 2016https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/02/more-than-700-killed-in-less-than-three-months-in-filipino-drugs-crackdown"If you are involved in drugs, I will kill you. You son of a whore, I will really kill you."“RodrigoDuterte: Shoot a drug dealer, get amedal” Al Jazeera 5 June 2016 http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/rodrigo-duterte-shoot-drug-dealer-medal-160605140900213.htmlPhilippineNationalPoliceChiefRonaldDelaRosa“Youknowwhoarethedruglordshere,gototheirhouses,ourgasoline,setitonfire,showthemyouareangryatthem”“Duterte’senforcersays‘weareatwar,’hasnoregretsaboutkillings”–TheDailyMail,October4,2016http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-3820966/Dutertes-enforcer-says-war--no-regrets-killings.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490JusticeSecretaryVitalianoAguirreII“Criminalsarenothumanity.Crimesagainstillegaldrugs,(maybe)”DeLima:Killingsmayleadtochargesofcrimesagainsthumanity-Inquirer.net,August15,2016http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/806279/de-lima-duterte-may-be-charged-with-crimes-against-humanity

SeniorOfficer,PhilippinesNationalPolice“Wearenotthatbadpolicemenorbadindividuals.Wearejustatool,wearejustangelsthatGodgavetalentto,youknow,togetthesebadsoulsbacktoheavenandcleansethem.”“Philippines Secret Death Squads: Officer Claims Police Teams Behind Wave of Killings” The Guardian 3 October 2016https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/04/philippines-secret-death-squads-police-officer-teams-behind-killings