FORMER senator Leila de Lima is ready to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in its probe into alleged crimes against humanity during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, her legal counsel said Tuesday.
In an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, lawyer Dino de Leon confirmed that De Lima has already submitted evidence to the ICC and is prepared to testify if summoned.
De Lima, who was detained from February 2017 to November 2023 over drug-related charges, was fully acquitted in June 2024.
As former chair of the Commission on Human Rights, she led the initial investigation into the Davao Death Squad during Duterte’s time as Davao City mayor.
As a senator, she later probed his drug war before her controversial arrest.
Despite her imprisonment, De Lima sent official evidence to the ICC, supporting the complaint against Duterte, who was recently arrested and detained in The Hague. She is willing to travel to the Netherlands and testify if required.
De Leon emphasized that De Lima remains firm in her opposition to Duterte’s brutal drug war, stating that while illegal drugs must be fought, mass killings are not the solution.
The ICC has scheduled a hearing on September 23 to confirm the charges against Duterte.