Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe - FRANCE 24 English

"We can show that despite structural and resource limitations in our legal system, it is still a well-functioning system that yields positive results in its own time," Guevarra added.

National Union of People's Lawyers chairman Edre Olalia told AFP: "This is indeed very welcome news coming as it does in the midst of continuing impunity, selective memory and orchestrated denial by the past and present governments."

Only three police officers have been convicted of unlawful drug war killings, while another police officer was jailed in November last year for planting evidence and torturing two teenagers killed at the height of the crackdown.

Renato Reyes, a senior leader of the left-wing group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (New Nationalist Alliance) urged Marcos in a statement to cooperate with the ICC probe "so that justice can be rendered to the thousands of victims of Duterte's failed drug war".

Officially, 6,181 people were killed in Duterte's "war on drugs" but rights groups say that up to 30,000 may have been killed© NOEL CELIS / AFP/File

Manila (AFP) – The Philippine government said Friday it intended to appeal an International Criminal Court decision to reopen an inquiry into Manila's brutal anti-drug campaign, which left thousands dead.