Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. AP FILE PHOTO
President Rodrigo Duterte is willing to be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as Malaca帽ang听reiterated that the spate of killings in the Philippines was not state-sanctioned.
鈥淒rug-related killings, including vigilante killings, are not state-sanctioned.听Many of those who died were killed during legitimate police operations which are currently undergoing investigation as directed by the President,鈥� Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement.
Andanar was responding to the comments of Fatou Bensouda, chief prosecutor of the ICC, saying the office would begin to 鈥渃losely鈥� monitor the developments in the country on reports of alleged extrajudicial killings.
鈥淓ven the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights who conducted a legislative probe on extrajudicial killings has been quoted as saying that 鈥榯here is no proof that the killings were state-sponsored,鈥欌�� he said.
搁贰础顿:听
The Palace official said Duterte was open for an investigation.
鈥淚n any case, the President has articulated that he is willing to submit himself for an investigation before any body,鈥� he said.
Duterte has听 sent an invitation to the United Nations, the United States and the European Union to come to the Philippines and probe the killings under his administration鈥檚 brutal war on illegal drugs.
On Friday, the chief prosecutor of the ICC said her office would begin to 鈥渃losely鈥� monitor the developments in the Philippines on reports of听 extrajudicial killings. RAM/rga