Remulla to ask Palace if Phl is rejoining ICC

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla will seek clarification from Malacañang on whether the country wants to rejoin the International Criminal Court, in line with resolutions filed at the House of Representatives urging the government to cooperate in the ICC probe on the drug war killings.

- DAPHNE GALVEZ

Remulla is set to meet with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin today to discuss the matter and make sure "they are on the same page." "I will clarify if we have an intention to be members again of the ICC because of the House resolutions, how it affects the whole universe of the ICC, and the Philippine government as it is right now," Remulla said in a press briefing yesterday.

Two committees of the House of Representatives have initiated several resolutions urging the government to cooperate with the ICC investigation on the alleged abuses and killings in the Duterte administration's bloody war on illegal drugs.

However, Remulla said the resolutions raised more questions since the Philippines is no longer a signatory to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, since 2019.

"So are we going to be members of the ICC first for these things to happen? That is why I said we need to thoroughly study this matter," the justice secretary said.

For his part, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said the House resolutions, if adopted, "run counter to the position of the country, repeatedly declared by no less than the President."

"The Philippines has no legal duty to cooperate with the ICC on jurisdictional grounds, and that any such unwanted interference in our affairs by the ICC will encroach upon the sovereignty of our country," he said in a text message to reporters.

Last July, the ICC Appeals Chamber denied the Philippines' appeal against the resumption of the tribunal's drug war investigation. 

This resulted in President Marcos' giving the go-signal for the Philippines government to disengage from the permanent court.

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