Colmenares: Rome Statute doesn't need 30,000 deaths for crimes against humanity

Former Bayan Muna congressman Neri Colmenares clarified that the Rome Statute does not require proof of 30,000 deaths to prove crimes against humanity.

Vice President Sara Duterte had previously claimed that her father's case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) would fail without evidence of at least 30,000 deaths.

Colmenares challenged Duterte and her legal team to use the 'less than 30,000 deaths' argument during confirmation hearings if they genuinely believe it invalidates crimes against humanity charges.

He explained that the complaint filed by his group listed only 3,427 deaths as of July 31, 2018, based on official figures from the Philippine National Police.

Colmenares emphasized that no specific number of deaths is required under Article 7 of the Rome Statute to prove crimes against humanity, which involve widespread or systematic attacks against civilians.

He cited previous convictions in similar cases to illustrate that state-sponsored murder constitutes a crime against humanity regardless of the exact death toll.

The ICC exists to address accountability issues when powerful figures evade local justice systems, Colmenares argued, highlighting the importance of addressing systemic impunity and failures in justice.