President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains firm in his position that the Philippines will not rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC), despite renewed appeals from opposition lawmakers urging the government to return to the international tribunal.
In an interview with reporters in New York, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro said the President’s stance on the matter has not changed.
“Hindi nagbabago yung stance ng Pangulo. Hindi pa rin po tayo ngayon magrerejoin sa ICC,” Castro said.
When asked for the reason behind the decision, Castro replied, “’Yan lang ang binitawan sa akin na salita ng Pangulo.”
Marcos is currently in New York City for a two-day working visit that includes high-level engagements at the United Nations.
The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, in March 2018 upon the order of former President Rodrigo Duterte. The withdrawal took effect a year later.
Duterte was arrested in March 2025 following an order from the ICC over alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s war on illegal drugs.
His arrest reignited calls for the Philippines to return to the Rome Statute. In June 2025, Castro said Marcos was open to discussions on the matter but noted that the possibility of rejoining the ICC had not yet been formally discussed.
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I concluded its confirmation of charges hearings against the 80-year-old Duterte in late February.
Around the same time, opposition lawmakers, ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co, filed a House resolution urging the Philippines to rejoin the ICC.
