Dela Rosa on PH rejoining ICC: Back to square one

The International Criminal Court (ICC PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Monday said that due process will be observed and that it will be “back to square one”  if the Philippines decides to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Well, if we want to rejoin, it will still undergo a process,” Dela Rosa said, partly in Filipino in an ANC interview.

Dela Rosa explained that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should ratify the agreement, and this has to be concurred by the Senate by a two-thirds vote.

“That’s the process,” he said. “Back to zero. Back to square one.”

As the head of the Philippine National Police during the Duterte administration, Dela Rosa spearheaded the war on drugs in the country, which led to the death of thousands of drug suspects.

Duterte and Dela Rosa were among the accused with  crimes against humanity before the ICC.

President Marcos said the government is studying the proposal to rejoin the ICC.

Duterte declared the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute or the treaty that established the ICC in March 2018. 

The withdrawal took effect a year after or in March 2019.

However, the ICC retained jurisdiction over alleged crimes in the Philippines — from November 1, 2011, to March 16, 2019 — while the country was still a state party.

Should Marcos decide in favor of rejoining the ICC, Dela Rosa said he will not lobby in the Senate against it.

“I will not campaign because I know that each and every one of us has his own stand as far as this issue is concerned. I don’t need to campaign. I just would like to present my view, my stand on this,” Dela Rosa said.

“The Senate is composed of 24 independent republics. Nobody can dictate these 24 independent republics,” he added.