MANILA (UPDATED) — Malacañang said it respects US President Donald Trump's call for countries to leave the International Criminal Court, which the superpower has imposed sanctions on.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte is facing a crimes against humanity case at the ICC, which the Philippines left in 2019 in response to its investigation into alleged extrajudicial killings in the "war on drugs."
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Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said it respects Trump's call and said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s position is to not rejoin the court.
“Hindi pa po napapanahon ang pag-rejoin sa ICC sa ngayon,” she said.
(It is not timely to rejoin the ICC right now.)
Castro also noted that Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel ‘Babe’ Romualdez spoke with US State Department in July raising the sensitivity of the issue and the complainants of alleged victims of extrajudicial victims.
The Palace official also believes the US leader’s call has no implication on the ICC’s credibility in handling cases.
“Wala namang epekto (It has no effect),” Castro added.
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'SELF-SERVING'
In a statement, former ICC Judge Raul Pangalangan, now chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission looking into drug-related deaths, called on the government to cooperate with the international court.
He said Trump's call "is self-serving, irresponsible, and leaves many of those who suffered injustice around the world more vulnerable to abuses."
He said the US government's attacks on ICC also affects the prospects for justice for victims of "drug war" killings in the Philippines.
"An ICC under siege prolongs the search for accountability and the suffering of thousands," he said.
Duterte's trial on his crimes against humanity case is set to begin on November 30.
The ICC maintains it retains jurisdiction with respect to alleged crimes that occurred in the Philippines while it was still a member of the ICC from November 1, 2011 up to March 16, 2019.