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VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Surigao congressman errs in claiming Duterte ‘never’ ordered the killing of drug pushers

WHAT WAS CLAIMED

Former president Rodrigo Duterte “never ordered the killing of drug pushers.”

OUR VERDICT

False:

On several occasions, at least once a year since 2016, Duterte made public statements authorizing law enforcers to kill drug suspects, particularly those who are resisting arrest and fighting back.

By VERA Files

Feb 24, 2023

1-minute read
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Explaining the reason for filing a resolution in the House of Representatives supporting former president Rodrigo Duterte against the International Criminal Court’s investigation into the drug war-related killings, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel falsely claimed that Duterte never ordered the killings of suspects in the bloody campaign against illegal drugs.

(See VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Dela Rosa falsely claims Duterte never ordered to kill anyone involved in drugs)

In the same interview, Pimentel claimed that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines following its withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019.

Article 127, paragraph 2 of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, provides that a country that has withdrawn is not cleared of its obligations for incidents that occurred when it was still a state party.

(Read Disinformation about ICC echoes Duterte’s defense, targets prosecutors)

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