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Metro Manila, Philippines –  Malacañang said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is not yet considering rejoining the International Criminal Court, but clarified that the president is not closing the door on reviewing the country’s membership in the future. “Ang huli niyang sinabi ay hindi pa po magri-rejoin,” Castro said during a palace briefing.[Translation: The last thing he said was that we will not rejoin yet.] “So, kung kinakailangan po sigurong aralin sa mga susunod na araw ay hindi naman po sarado ang pangulo diyan,” she added. [Translation: So, if there is a need to study it in the coming days, the president is not closing the door on that.] Castro made the statement after renewed calls for the Philippines to return to the Rome Statute amid questions on how the government would handle the reported ICC arrest warrant against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Malacañang cautioned senators against going beyond the limits of the law amid moves to place Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa under Senate protective custody after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him. During a Palace briefing, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said lawmakers should know the extent of their authority as senators. “Well, ayaw nating pangunahan ang mga senador but dapat alam nila kung ano ang batas kasi mambabatas sila,” Castro said.[Translation: We do not want to preempt the senators, but they should know the law because they are lawmakers.] “So, alam nila kung ano ang limitasyon nila, ano lang iyong kanilang authority, ano lang iyong power nila but they should not go beyond the law,” she added.[Translation: They know their limitations, their authority, and their powers, but they should not go beyond the law.] Castro made the remarks after former Senator Antonio Trillanes…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Former President Rodrigo Duterte has tapped veteran British lawyer Peter Haynes to take over his defense before the International Criminal Court following the withdrawal of lead counsel Nicholas Kaufman and associate counsel Dov Jacobs. The appointment was disclosed in a public ICC filing, where Kaufman identified Haynes as Duterte’s replacement counsel. “Yesterday, the Defense team visited Mr Duterte and documented both Mr Duterte’s release of Counsel from his representation and his desire to hire replacement Counsel – Mr Peter Haynes,” the filing stated. Kaufman also said Haynes had already agreed to immediately assume Duterte’s defense and would be prepared to attend the next status conference on May 27. Haynes is considered one of the leading practitioners in international criminal and humanitarian law, with more than 25 years of experience before tribunals in The Hague, including the ICC, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, and…

Metro Manila, Philippines – Five senators are urging Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to surrender to authorities — a proposal quickly rejected by Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano. Senators Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Ping Lacson, Kiko Pangilinan, and Tito Sotto filed a proposed resolution on Tuesday, May 12, seeking a unified Senate stance on Dela Rosa’s case. The measure seeks to express “the sense of the Senate urging [Dela Rosa] to voluntarily surrender to the proper authorities and seek judicial remedies in accordance with the Constitution and applicable laws and rules.” The resolution notes that the Constitution provides only limited privilege from arrest for lawmakers while Congress is in session and only for offenses punishable by not more than six years of imprisonment. The senators said this clearly indicates there is no blanket immunity or protective custody for grave offenses. “Neither the Constitution nor the Rules of the Senate contain…

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Senate will not delay actions on the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano said in a bid to douse speculations that the abrupt leadership change was related to the ouster case. In a chance interview on Tuesday, May 12, Cayetano said the Senate will act “forthwith” when asked if the Impeachment Court will be convened once the chamber receives the Articles of Impeachment from the House of Representatives. “I also consulted Senator Sotto. Sabi niya, process, ibigay muna sa committee on rules. [He told me the process, to give it to the committee on rules] So, we will do what has to be done and there won’t be delays,” he said, referring to his predecessor who had vowed to convene the court immediately.  “The country needs us in other capacities. So the longer this drags out, the more yung…