By Liza Soriano
MANILA — Malacañang officials have reiterated that the Philippines is no longer a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
This was stated during a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing led by Sen. Imee Marcos, following reports of a supposed arrest warrant against former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Acting Secretary Usec. Helen Dela Vega emphasized that the country withdrew from the ICC in 2019 and is no longer under its jurisdiction.
Officials from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the National Security Council (NSC) supported Dela Vega’s statement.
However, Justice Secretary Boying Remulla clarified that any potential case against Duterte would be an individual charge.
He also noted that the Philippine government has had no communication with the ICC regarding the matter.
“We are not members of the ICC. Any relationship with them is at arm’s length if we ever need to communicate—but we have never spoken to them,” Remulla said.
“We’ve been very transparent about this, and we have never had any contact with the ICC,” he added.
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