President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. held a meeting on Wednesday night, July 27, with the government’s legal team to discuss the country’s position in the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The meeting was attended by Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has no updates yet on when the country will return to the agreement regarding its withdrawal from the Rome Statute.
Noting that the transition period is ongoing, DFA Spokesperson and Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresita Daza said they still have to “seek guidance” as they are “not the lead agency in terms of the ICC.”
“It’s actually DOJ [Department of Justice] and OSG [Office of the Solicitor General]. And if you recall, the solicitor general has actually mentioned that relative to this development and maybe other developments, further consultations would have to be undertaken,” she said.
She added that the country’s withdrawal from the ICC has no effect because the Philippines will continue to fight impunity and crimes.
“The Philippines underscores that it has the primary jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute the crime against humanity allegedly being committed in the anti-illegal drugs campaign,” she said.
Meanwhile, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said that “the state, as distinguished from the government or its officials, whether past or present, has a fundamental interest in the ICC case.” –Report from Kenneth Paciente/KC-ag
