Correct ‘monumental mistake,’ rejoin ICC, Risa urges Marcos

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SENATE deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros yesterday said President Marcos Jr.  “can correct a monumental mistake” by rejoining the Rome Statute and cooperating with the investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Hontiveros said the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute was only triggered by former President Rodrigo Duterte’s self-interests after he was accused of crimes against humanity before the ICC.

Hontiveros said it was very clear during the Senate blue ribbon sub-committee hearing on the war on drugs that Duterte admitted he was responsible for the deaths of not only thousands of drug users and pushers, but innocent individuals, as well.

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“The president can correct a monumental mistake by letting the Philippines rejoin as a state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). In the first place, the withdrawal from the ICC was prompted only by the selfish interests of former President Duterte. Para isalba ang sarili, pinahamak niya ang buong bansa at inalis sa mga Pilipino ang napakahalagang mekanismo ng katarungan (To save himself, he put the whole country in danger of losing the most important mechanism of justice),” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“Why should we abandon our international commitments just so Duterte can avoid accountability for his crimes? Kung talagang may pagpapahalaga si Presidente Marcos sa hustisya at rule of law, sana ay itama niya ang mali ni Duterte at ibalik ang bansa sa ICC (If President Marcos values justice and the rule of law, he should correct the mistakes of Duterte and allow the Philippines rejoin the ICC),” she added.

Hontiveros made the statement after Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III called on Marcos to “rethink” his stance on the ICC and consider rejoining the international body.

Pimentel said rejoining the ICC will serve as an “insurance policy” against potential abuses by a leader and in the case of justice system fails.

“Let us rejoin the ICC. We should treat this as our ‘insurance policy’ just in case ‘our system’ fails us and we get to elect an abuse, tyrannical, heartless lesser, and our justice system fails us too,” Pimentel said.

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