Philippine lawmaker urges return to ICC to pursue lawsuit against China

A PHILIPPINE congressman on Wednesday urged the government to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC), saying it would strengthen Manila’s legal options in pushing back against China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea.

- By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

House Deputy Minority Leader and Party-list Rep. Jose Manuel Tadeo “Chel” I. Diokno said returning to the ICC’s fold could open the door to filing “crimes of aggression” charges against Beijing for actions within Philippine waters.

“We have to show the world that we will take advantage of every legal opportunity,” he told reporters in Filipino. “It is also a good reason to return to the ICC... [so] we can file crimes of aggression against other countries, as long as we are members of the court and the incidents happen in our territory.”

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2018 under then-President Rodrigo R. Duterte after the tribunal launched a preliminary investigation into his bloody war on drugs. The withdrawal took effect the following year.

In March, the Marcos administration surrendered Mr. Duterte to The Hague-based tribunal, where he faces trial in September for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the drug war.

Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro said in June that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. was open to studying proposals for the Philippines to rejoin the international tribunal.