News Archive
Caparas, LL.M. '05, Publishes Series on Philippine President's Liability for Crimes Against Humanity
03/06/2017
Perfecto Boyet Caparas, LL.M. ’05, published a two-part series asserting that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte “as head of state lacks the mantle of immunity from prosecution either by Philippine authorities (arguably) or the International Criminal Court for gravest breaches of international human rights law,” Caparas said.
Caparas’ articles are titled “Yes, Int'l Criminal Court can prosecute Duterte for killing spree” and “Police, military officials liable for Duterte's illegal kill orders.”
Police and so-called vigilantes suspected of being law enforcers themselves have gunned down more than 7,000 drug suspects since Duterte assumed the presidency on June 30, 2016.“The lack of any… credible investigation and prosecution only serves to demonstrate official acquiescence to, if not downright instigation or perpetration, of summary executions,” Caparas said. “What Duterte fails to appreciate is that at this day and age the doctrine of command responsibility has been institutionalized and operationalized both in the international and domestic criminal law regimes.”
Caparas is associate director of Graduate Programs at IU McKinney. He previously worked as Graduate Studies and International Affairs Program Manager, and Graduate Studies Program Manager. Before that, he served as program manager for the Program in International Human Rights Law. He also established the Pro Bono United Nations Human Rights Reporting Initiative at IU McKinney.
