Marcos open to discuss rejoining ICC - Castro
Metro Manila, Philippines - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to talk about the recommendations of a United Nations independent expert on improving the human rights situation, including possibly rejoining the International Criminal Court.
Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro told a news briefing on Thursday, June 19, that discussions on rejoining the ICC have yet to materialize.
Asked to clarify whether it’s her opinion or the president’s position, Castro said, “Open po siya. No’ng huli po kaming nag-usap, dahil noon pa ito napag-usapan, sinabi niya open naman po siya.”
[Translation: He’s open. During our last talk, because this has been previously raised, he said to me he’s open to it.]
Marcos had said that the country’s return to the ICC is under study.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, which formed the ICC, in 2018, and took effect in 2019.
Duterte is detained in an ICC facility over crimes against humanity for murder, in connection with his bloody war on drugs.
Other recommendations
Rejoining the ICC was among the recommendations of UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan after visiting the country in 2024 to examine the human rights situation.
Khan, who focused on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, released her report this week.
Castro said the Marcos administration welcomes the recognition of the international community of the measures taken by the country to protect human rights.
In her conclusions, Khan acknowledged these measures to end attacks on human rights by the previous administration, “but they have not been enough to turn the page decisively on the past.”
“The government must embark on more significant legal, policy, and institutional changes to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression,” she said.
Khan also recommended that the Philippines ratify relevant international human rights treaties, including the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
She said the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict must be abolished. She said the government must “open an independent, multi-stakeholder process to review the task force and its roles in harassment, threats, vilification, and red-tagging and other human rights violations.”
The UN independent expert said the government must adopt an executive order denouncing the practice of red-tagging and set out measures that discourage, disincentivize, and discipline those who violate the policy.”
“Ang suggestion ng UN rapporteur, ito ay magandang suggestion at pag-aaralan kung dapat pa rin sumapi, magjoin sa ICC, at ratify ‘yong international human rights law,” Castro said. “Pag-aaralan po ito ng mabuti ng pangulo,”
[Translation: The suggestions of the UN rapporteur are good and we will study if we need to rejoin the ICC and ratify international human rights laws. The president will study these.]
