Residents with any information have been urged to contact the concerned authority
emergencies5 hours ago
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday told the International Criminal Court (ICC) to go ahead and investigate him for crimes against humanity, and said he would prefer to face a firing squad than be jailed.
However, the firebrand leader known for his defiance of international pressure questioned whether the ICC had jurisdiction to indict him over the deaths of thousands of Filipinos in his war on drugs.
He denied ever giving an order to police to kill drug suspects.
ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said on Thursday the preliminary examination into Duterte's campaign sought to establish whether it had the jurisdiction, and if crimes against humanity had been committed.
"I would ask for the rare privilege of talking to you. Just the two of us in the room," Duterte said during a news conference, referring to Bensouda.
"I welcome you. If you want to find me guilty, go ahead. So be it. Find a country where they kill people with a firing squad and I'm ready.
"If you haul me into a rigmarole of trial and trial, no need. Go ahead and proceed in your investigation. Find me guilty, of course. You can do that."
About 4,000 mostly urban poor Filipinos have been killed by police in Duterte's signature campaign that has alarmed the international community.
Activists believe the death toll is far higher and accuse police or systematic cover-ups and executions. Police and the government dismiss that. The examination is the first formal step the ICC prosecutor takes when considering whether a situation in a member state could eventually lead to charges. The process may take years.
Central to whether it proceeds is if the court has jurisdiction, since it can only prosecute crimes when a member state fails to do so.
Duterte's legal counsel and his attorney general on Friday said several cases related to the anti-drugs crackdown were pending in courts and a Senate investigation had found no evidence of wrongdoing.
The ICC complaints came from a lawyer and two lawmakers and include the accounts of two self-confessed hit men who say they killed at Duterte's behest when he was a city mayor, and public statements he made as president that they say amounted to 'shoot-to-kill' orders.
Duterte said it was doubtful the ICC had jurisdiction in the Philippines because its accession to the ICC's Rome Statute in 2011 had never been announced in the country's official gazette, as required to be considered lawful.
He also vented his anger at allegations of extrajudicial killings during his campaign, saying the term could not be defined.
Residents with any information have been urged to contact the concerned authority
emergencies5 hours ago
Northeastern University in Boston says the action was taken after some protesters resorted to virulent anti-Semitic slurs
world6 hours ago
The church has been built on 4.37 acres of land, and stands opposite the BAPS Hindu temple
uae6 hours ago
A detailed guide on where to apply, the steps involved, and criteria for eligibility
uae7 hours ago
The Emirates called for strengthening the international humanitarian response and providing urgent relief to those in need
mena7 hours ago
Photonics is the study of light and has several applications including LED, VR, holograms, high-speed internet and solar panels among other things
uae7 hours ago
A delegation from Egypt arrived in Israel on Friday hoping to revive the truce negotiations
mena7 hours ago
The decision aims to protect the safety and security of pilgrims
gulf8 hours ago