The European Union has reiterated its appeal for the Philippines to rejoin the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC).
During a visit to The STAR office in Parañaque, EU Ambassador Massimo Santoro emphasized that rejoining the ICC would signify a commitment to upholding human rights and ensuring accountability for serious crimes. Ambassador Santoro expressed hope that the Philippines would once again become a member of the ICC.
Human rights organizations are also advocating for the Marcos administration to re-engage with the ICC and cooperate with its investigations, especially if new arrest warrants are issued for current and former Philippine officials. This call comes after former President Rodrigo Duterte was extradited to The Hague in March to face charges of crimes against humanity related to his controversial drug war.
The Philippines had withdrawn from the ICC in 2018 following the court’s preliminary examination of Duterte’s anti-drug campaign to assess whether a full investigation was warranted. Meanwhile, human rights advocates are insisting on the resumption of legal proceedings against Duterte at the ICC. The Duterte Panagutin Network in Europe criticized the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I for deferring the confirmation of charges against Duterte, deeming the decision as a significant disservice to the victims.
In a separate development, Duterte’s youngest daughter, Veronica, known as Kitty, reassured the public of her father’s well-being in a Facebook interview posted from The Hague by former presidential spokesman Harry Roque, confirming that Duterte is in good health.