Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa has warned that former President Rodrigo Duterte's bloody war on drugs could be revisited by the International Criminal Court (ICC), signaling a potential legal storm for the controversial crackdown that killed thousands.
In a statement, Dela Rosa, who served as the first chief of the Philippine National Police under Duterte, said that the ICC prosecutor might revive the case after the Philippines failed to challenge the court's jurisdiction effectively. He noted that the new administration's stance could leave the country vulnerable to international prosecution.
"The ICC is like a ghost that will keep coming back," Dela Rosa said, emphasizing that the case is not over. He pointed out that the previous administration's efforts to shield officials from ICC scrutiny may have been insufficient.
The warning comes amid renewed international focus on the drug war, which left at least 6,000 dead according to official counts, though human rights groups estimate the toll could be much higher. Duterte has repeatedly defended the campaign as necessary to rid the country of drugs.
Dela Rosa's remarks highlight growing concerns among former top officials that they could face legal repercussions abroad, even as the current government under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not fully committed to engaging with the ICC.