Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro clarified on Monday that the Philippines currently has no active efforts to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC), despite some inter-agency discussions on the matter.
“There’s no movement as far as cascading to the Department of Foreign Affairs,” Lazaro told reporters during a press briefing. “I’m sure there had been discussions with other agencies like the Department of Justice.”
Her remarks come months after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed openness to discussing the possibility of rejoining the ICC, which the Philippines exited in 2018 under the leadership of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Lazaro emphasized that while some conversations among government bodies may have occurred, there has been no formal directive from Malacañang to the Department of Foreign Affairs regarding any concrete steps toward rejoining the international tribunal.
In March 2018, the Duterte administration officially withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, following criticisms of his controversial war on drugs. Despite the withdrawal, the ICC maintains that it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the Philippines was still a member, covering incidents from November 1, 2011 to March 16, 2019.
The matter has gained renewed attention due to ongoing proceedings involving Duterte. On March 12, he was reportedly arrested and sent to The Hague, where he faces charges of crimes against humanity. The charges stem from the bloody anti-drug campaign during his presidency, which, according to police data, resulted in at least 6,000 deaths. Human rights groups claim the actual toll may be as high as 20,000.
Marcos has previously taken a more measured stance on the ICC, stating in June that the issue of rejoining should be approached through diplomatic channels and consensus among relevant institutions.
The Department of Justice and other agencies are believed to be part of internal discussions, but no definitive action has yet been made public.
The ICC continues to assert its mandate over alleged violations of human rights, despite the Philippines’ earlier withdrawal, citing the principle that jurisdiction remains over crimes committed during the country’s time as a party to the Rome Statute.
