the international criminal court has launched an initial inquiry into allegations of crimes against humanity committed by rodrigo duterte , the philippine president , said that the government ’s crackdown was a “ legitimate police operation ” and that the president welcomed the hague - based tribunal ’s decision .
thousands dead : the philippine president , the death toll was over 8,000 .
the icc prosecutor fatou bensouda said in a statement that her office would “ analyse crimes allegedly committed … since he began his war on drugs as mayor of davao in 1988 .
” alejano said : “ in the context of the ‘ war on drugs .
the inquiry will be the icc as part of the complaint , said the move was an affirmation that the claims against duterte had legitimacy , and it offered “ a ray of hope for the victims of his war on drugs , which is still ongoing right now ” .
fatou bensouda , a prosecutor for the international court , said in a statement that the inquiry would gauge whether there was enough evidence to build a case .
they can not go to police because they are involved , they can not go to the department of justice because the secretary will say there ’s no such thing as extrajudicial killing .
there is a clear and blatant violation of the rule of law in the philippines right now , and so the icc are the only ones who can step in .
and when we request an investigation from the house of representatives , we can not get an impartial hearing because they are covering up for the president .