Charge Rodrigo Duterte with mass murder, lawyer tells The Hague

The court may take cases only under certain conditions, including when a nation’s own judicial system is unable or unwilling to investigate or prosecute
The New York Times (US)
Monday, April 24, 2017

Filipino lawyer Jude Josue Sabio asked the International Criminal Court in The Hague to charge President Rodrigo Duterte and 11 other Philippine officials with mass murder and crimes against humanity in the killings of thousands of people. Sabio said in a 77-page complaint that Duterte was the “mastermind” of a campaign that has killed more than 9,400 people, mostly poor young men, since 1988, when Mr. Duterte was first elected mayor of Davao City. The court has the authority to accept cases brought by individuals as well as by nations and the United Nations Security Council. (See also: Why not decriminalize drug use? VP urges gov’t to study Portugal move Why do many young, liberal Filipinos support Duterte’s drug war?)