House Speaker Martin Romualdez FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Martin Romualdez on Thursday debunked circulating claims that the lower chamber is prioritizing the passage of House Resolution No. 1477.
HRN 1477 seeks to push the Philippines to cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) probe on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal campaign against drugs.
It was filed by House committee on human rights chairperson Bienvenido Abante Jr. and was then referred to the lower chamber’s committee on justice for deliberation.
READ: Solon files reso urging PH gov’t to cooperate with ICC drug war probe
“This is what we call – this is the sense of the House of Representatives. There [are a] succession of resolutions that are being filed and as a matter of course, we have to read out these bills and resolutions and we have to act upon the same,” Romualdez told reporters on the sidelines of the 31st Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum on Thursday.
READ: Marcos okays PH disengagement from ICC, asserts sovereignty over drug war probe
“We have to be sensitive and responsive to the concerns of congressmen. So we have to look at it one at a time, within [and] to a context of current events – that’s where we leave it. We don’t read much into it than what other people do, but nonetheless, they are still entitled to their own views and even speculations,” he added.
A quick look on the House of Representatives website would show that the resolution is still pending in the committee.
Several lawmakers, including President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s sister — Senator Imee Marcos – expressed disapproval of the measure, saying it would be a great shame for the Philippines to work with ICC.