By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Senator Koko Pimentel is urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The Philippines withdrew from the ICC’s Rome Statute in 2018 under the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“Let us rejoin the ICC. We should treat it as our ‘insurance policy’ in case our system fails us and we elect an abusive, tyrannical, heartless leader, and our justice system also fails,” Pimentel said Saturday (09 Nov 20024).
The senator emphasized that rejoining the ICC is an executive action, meaning it is within Marcos’ authority to do so.
In February, Marcos stated that he would not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction in the Philippines.
“It’s still those questions of jurisdiction and sovereignty. I haven’t seen a sufficient answer to them. Until then, I do not recognize their jurisdiction in the Philippines,” he said at the time.
Both chambers of Congress are investigating the war on drugs implemented during the Duterte administration.
ia/mnm
