House joint panel swiftly passes resolutions urging ICC cooperation

MANILA, Philippines — Resolutions urging the Marcos administration to cooperate with the International Criminal Court’s investigation have been approved by a House joint committee, with its proponents insisting that respect for the rule of law trumps relations with the former president’s defenders. 

The House joint panels on human rights and justice approved three resolutions on Wednesday calling on the current government to work with the ICC’s ongoing probe of the alleged crimes against humanity committed during the Duterte administration’s drug war.

The committees also approved a motion by Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay, 1st District) to combine the House resolutions with their counterpart in the Senate, which was filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, as a concurrent resolution of both chambers. 

These resolutions — which are meant to express a chamber’s position but do not have the force of law — are gaining ground in both chambers of Congress even as former President Rodrigo Duterte’s allies, including Vice President Sara Duterte, have publicly criticized lawmakers pushing for Marcos to cooperate with the ICC.

The three House resolutions approved by the joint panel are House Resolution 1477 authored by Rep. Bienvenido Abante (Manila, 6th District) and Rep. Ramon Gutierrez (1-Rider Partylist), House Resolution 1393 authored by the Makabayan bloc, and House Resolution 1482 authored by Lagman.

During discussions of the measures, human rights committee chairperson Abante said that the Philippine government’s cooperation with the ICC “would demonstrate that no one is above the law.”

Abante also said he took exception to the “name-calling” remarks made by former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque after he filed a resolution seen by many opposition members as a change of tune in the lower chamber.

Just months ago, another House resolution — declaring an “unequivocal defense” of Duterte from the ICC — was filed in the lower chamber.

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"This is about principles, not personalities,” Abante said.

"Keep in mind that this resolution is also about protecting the right to due process of those being