15 hours ago
Marcos open to talks on PH rejoining ICC — Palace
President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. is open to having discussions as regards to the Philippines rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said on Thursday.
''Sa aking palagay opo at kaya lang hindi po ngayon napag-uusapan ang bagay na 'yan pero sa mga ganitong suggestion, open naman po ang Pangulo para po ito ay mapag-usapan,'' Castro said in a briefing when asked if having discussions as regards rejoining the ICC is under consideration.
(In my opinion, yes and it's just not being discussed right now. But with these kind of suggestions, the President is open to have talks regarding this.)
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression has urged the Philippine government to ratify international human rights treaties and restore its past ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Special Rapporteur Irene Khan also called on the country to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
"In the light of the history of enforced disappearances, unlawful killings and persistent impunity in the Philippines, the Special Rapporteur encourages the Government to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and to open discussions for re-accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court," Khan's report said.
The Philippines withdrew from the ICC's founding treaty, the Rome Statute, in 2019 after the tribunal launched a probe into the Duterte administration's deadly drug war.
When asked about the possibility of the Philippines rejoining the ICC, Marcos, in March, simply smiled and said the matter had not been discussed. This was after the arrest of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte and the latter's detention in The Netherlands. —RF, GMA Integrated News
