PH won’t renew membership to ICC under Duterte’s watch —Palace

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will never revive its membership to the International Criminal Court (ICC) while it is under the watch of President Rodrigo Duterte.

This was the firm assurance of a Palace official on Tuesday, as the Assembly of States Parties President O-Gon Kwon expressed hope that the country’s pullout from ICC would only be temporary and that it will re-affix its ratification to the Rome Statute – which created ICC – in the future.

READ: ICC legislative body hopeful PH will rejoin court ‘in the future’

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo was asked for Malacañang’s comment on O-Gon’s remark and said: “Not during the watch of this President.”

Composed of representatives from states that have ratified and acceded to the Rome Statute, the Assembly of States Parties is the legislative body of ICC.

The Hague-based tribunal launched in February last year a “preliminary examination” of the accusations against Duterte on crimes against humanity due to his brutal war on drugs.

A month later, Duterte withdrew the Philippines’ ratification of the Rome Statute, citing “baseless, unprecedented and outrageous attacks” against him and his administration.

The Philippines’ pullout took effect last Sunday, March 17.

READ: Duterte does the inevitable, declares PH withdrawal from ICC

During the same briefing, Panelo, who is also Duterte’s chief legal counsel, claimed that even powerful countries share the sentiment of the Philippines that the ICC has “weaponized human rights” in the fight against drugs.

“It has been politically persecuting heads of states,” Panelo said. /kga