Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 24) — Senator Risa Hontiveros on Friday said she is considering filing a similar resolution in the Senate that calls for the cooperation of the Marcos administration with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into the bloody drug war.
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ The Source, Hontiveros said she is “seriously considering” filing the counterpart resolution of those filed by some House lawmakers regarding the investigation.
There are currently three resolutions filed in the lower chamber, including one that was co-authored by Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. who is a member of the majority bloc. He told CNN Philippines this is not a personal attack against former President Rodrigo Duterte who was behind the controversial program against illegal drugs.
Hontiveros welcomed the resolutions in the House, adding she hopes this will create a more conducive environment so the Philippines can return as member of the ICC.
President Ferdinand Marcos earlier said the Philippines is ending its involvement with the ICC after the tribunal rejected the country’s request to suspend the investigation into the previous administration’s war on drugs pending a ruling on Manila’s main appeal against the resumption of the probe.
Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of ex-president Duterte, on Thursday told House lawmakers to respect Marcos’ decision. She also said that allowing the probe is “not only patently unconstitutional” but also “belittles and degrades our legal institutions.”
Senator Imee Marcos has also rejected calls to work with the ICC, saying the country should be “ashamed” to let foreign courts intervene when the Philippines’ justice system is working.
“There’s no belittling or degrading at all,” Hontiveros said. “There’ s nothing unconstitutional about being a member of the community of nations.”
She also pointed out that the killings covered by the ICC probe happened years prior to ex-President Duterte withdrawing the Philippines as a member of the ICC, which took effect in 2019.
Hontiveros also believes it is more embarrassing to not accept the help from the international community “in the face of tens of thousands of EJK (extra-judicial killing) victims.”
Asked about the ICC probe resolution, Sen. Francis Tolentino said: “Any resolution coming from Congress, even if it’s both Houses, would just be persuasive in nature.”
ICC prosecutors estimate that around 12,000 to 30,000 were killed in the name of the drug war between July 2016 and March 2019, far from the previous government data at around 6,000 deaths.
