Sen. Santiago winds up campaign for ICC

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has wrapped up a visit to The Hague in furtherance of her candidacy for a judgeship on the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday.

Quoting from a dispatch from the Philippine Embassy in the Netherlands, the DFA said that Santiago was received by ICC president Sang-hyun Song on the first day of her visit on September 26.

The Hague is home to the ICC, an independent international body separate from the United Nations system and the first permanent international court to deal specifically with the gravest crimes committed against humanity.

Following her call on Song, Santiago met with ICC registrar Silvana Arbia and Judge Kuniko Ozaki, and held one-on-one meetings with the ambassadors of ICC States Parties in The Hague.

On September 29, Santiago, accompanied by Ambassador Lourdes Morales, met with representatives of civil society groups, including the Coalition for the ICC, Open Society Justice Initiative and Women’s Initiative for Gender Justice.

During the meeting, Santiago shared her views on challenges facing the ICC and took questions from the floor.

The following day, Morales hosted a luncheon in honor of Santiago attended by, among others, ambassadors of ICC States Parties in The Hague and ICC officials.

In her speech at the reception, Santiago cited the ICC’s achievements, such as its unique mechanisms for providing support to victims and witnesses, its establishment of key mechanisms in situation countries and its vigorous outreach program.

The election for the six vacant judges’ seats in the ICC will be held from December 12 to 21, during the 10th Session of the Assembly of States Parties in New York.