House panels OK resolutions for Philippines cooperation with ICC

MANILA, Philippines — Two committees of the House of Representatives have approved and consolidated resolutions that encourage President Marcos to allow the Philippines to cooperate in the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s probe into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, meanwhile, said he did not think Marcos intended to have the country rejoin the ICC anytime soon.

Senators including Ronald dela Rosa, the main enforcer of the war on drugs when he was police chief, had a “casual dinner” with the President and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos at Malacañang on Tuesday. It was unclear if the ICC issue was among the main topics discussed.

Through an overwhelming voice vote, officials and members of the joint committee on justice and human rights adopted House Resolution 1477 of Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. and 1-Rider party-list Rep. Ramon Gutierrez, and consolidated House Resolution 1482 of Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman.

The legislators filed the resolutions last Nov. 21, aiming to allow the ICC entry into the country.

“By allowing ICC to come, it’s telling the world that we have nothing to hide here,” Abante, who also chairs the committee on human rights of the House, said.

He added that he only wants to demonstrate that the country’s justice system is functioning efficiently, contrary to claims made by some.

“We just want to show to the whole world and to the ICC that our justice system is running smoothly,” the lawmaker said.

Lagman, the president of the opposition Liberal Party and a vocal critic of former president Rodrigo Duterte, maintained that letting the ICC in is not a surrender of sovereignty but an exercise of it.

“If we believe in the rule of law, then we must let ICC come in,” Lagman said.

He contended that allowing ICC to investigate does not compromise national sovereignty.

The Philippines withdrew its ICC membership in 2017 following an investigation into alleged “crimes against humanity” related to casualties in the government’s war on drugs, as ordered by Duterte, whose term started in 2016 and ended middle of last year.

When President Marcos said that the proposals to return to