International Court Temporarily Suspends Duterte Drug War Probe

(Bloomberg) -- The International Criminal Court suspended its investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs following the request of the Philippine government to defer its probe.

The ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor notified the pre-trial chamber on Nov. 18 of the suspension of its investigation, though it said it will continue studying information and assess the need to resume the review, according to a filing from the court.

Judges at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Sept. 15 authorized an investigation into possible crimes against humanity committed during the war on drugs, despite Duterte’s withdrawal from the tribunal in protest in 2019. 

Duterte, in a Sept. 21 speech to the United Nations General Assembly, criticized outside interference and said anyone who “acted beyond bounds” during the war on drugs would be held “accountable” by the Philippine justice system.

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