Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla | INQUIRER.net file photo / Tetch Torres-Tupas
MANILA, Philippines — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Thursday that he will discuss with other officials the current position of the government on allowing the International Criminal Court (ICC) to conduct investigations in the country.
“Hindi pa namin pinag-usapan although i intend to seek out the Executive Secretary tomorrow just be able to make sure that we have the same page on this matter, siyempre humihingi tayo ng instruction sa executive secretary,” Remulla said.
(We have not talked about it yet, although I intend to seek out the Executive Secretary tomorrow just to be able to make sure that [we are on the same page] on this matter, of course we will ask for instructions from the executive secretary.)
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This comes after a recent resolution was filed in the House of Representatives, urging the country to cooperate with the ICC in relation to its investigation into the alleged violations during the previous administration’s war on drugs.
Remulla also said that discussions will also have to be made whether the country will be members of the ICC again. In 2019, the Philippines, which ratified the Rome Statute in 2011, withdrew its membership from the ICC’s jurisdiction.
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“Ika-clarify lang kung may balak ba tayong maging miyembro muli ng ICC dahil sa ginagawa ng Kongreso, how it affects the whole universe of the ICC and the Philippine governemnt as it is right now,” Remulla added.
(Clarifications must be made if we plan to be members again of the ICC because of what the Congress did, how it affects the whole universe of the ICC and the Philippine government as it is right now.)
In July, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said that his administration is “done talking with the ICC.”