By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Without naming names, former Senate President Franklin Drilon on Tuesday crushed the belief that a Senate concurrence is needed for the Philippines to return to the fold of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has the legal authority to do so.

Considered a legal eagle as a Bar topnotcher, the former Senate President during PNoy’s regime, emphasized that rejoining The Hague-based court “is purely an executive action,” given the Senate’s ratification of the treaty on August 23, 2011.

“In my view, the concurrence of the Senate is not necessary for the Philippines to rejoin the ICC. The Philippines can rejoin the ICC without returning to the Senate. The President can rely on the original resolution or ratification, as it remains valid and in effect,” the former lawmaker of Ilonggo descent said.

On Monday, November 27, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa expressed the belief that the Philippine government would need to redo the process of returning to the fold of the International Criminal Court (ICC) through a concurrence of two-thirds vote of the membership of the Senate.

However, he did not cite the legal basis for his position.

“Resolution No. 57, like any other resolution or law, remains legally binding unless specifically repealed. Its ratification has never been revoked,” Drilon retorted.

Dela Rosa, who headed the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the Rodrigo Roa Duterte administration, is not a lawyer.

He went to Mindanao State University (MSU) to study for a Bachelor of Science degree in public administration. In 1982, he left MSU to join the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and graduated in 1986 as part of the PMA Sinagtala class.

On the other hand, Drilon studied law at the University of the Philippines. He placed third in the 1969 Bar Exams and worked as a private practice lawyer before joining the government.

Dela Rosa, fellow Senator Bong Go, Vice President Sara Duterte, and her father former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte were reportedly named in documents submitted to the ICC investigating the killings related to the drug war during the previous administration and when the elder Duterte was mayor of Davao City,

(ai/mnm)