The International Criminal Court’s plan to reopen investigations on the systematic crimes of the past regime against the civilian population is a positive move for the families of the estimated 35,000 victims of Duterte’s bloody and brutal anti-drug campaign. And true to its fascist and anti-people nature, the reactionary government predictably reacted against it. It even issued a threat that ICC members that will enter the country to investigate will be arrested.

The reactionary government’s refusal of the ICC investigations against the tyrant Duterte and his minions proves their allegiance to the true terrorists and big criminals and the blatant absconding of its accountability towards the masses who seek justice. The government is very aggressive when it comes to defending tyrants such as Duterte and in covering up the lack of justice and systematic fascism within the country, but has its tail wagging in fear when it comes to defending Philippine sovereignty and its constituency’s well-being.

The laws and justice system of the country is abysmally poor. Not only can nothing be expected from it, it serves as an outright instrument of the current reactionary state’s fascism. It is therefore timely and apt for a large tribunal such as ICC intervene so that, even at a certain level, victims of state terrorism and fascism achieve justice.

LUMABAN-Bikol unites with the clamor of all victims, their families, the Filipino people and the international community to continue and ensure that ICC investigations against Duterte and his fascist cabal will not be for naught. In the end, what criminals such as Duterte, Marcos and other fascist and terrorists must remember is that although they may escape accountability from the courts of the reactionary government, international tribunals and other courts of justice, they will never be spared by the people’s court of the Filipino people’s democratic government. These enemies of the people will surely be held accountable for their crimes by the revolutionary movement and the masses in struggle who they once abused, suppressed and oppressed.