Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will be much affected by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), warned a law expert.
“[If] war crimes are committed against our people, wala tayong recourse sa ICC kasi hindi tayo member,” lawyer and former dean of the Ateneo School of Government, Antonio La Viña, told GMA News.
He said that in the long run, OFWs and Filipinos living abroad are at a disadvantage with the non-membership of the Philippines to ICC, adding that despite the probe conducted by the ICC on Duterte’s war on drugs, ICC is beneficial for the country in general.
“Never mind President Duterte, but it’s a very big blow to the rights of our people. Kaya tayo nag-member — the reason why Harry Roque fought for us to be a member of the ICC — because it’s very good for our country, it’s very good for our people.
Regardless of President Duterte, or any other president that should be charged with the ICC, that is an agreement that is very good for us,” he announced.
La Viña added that the Philippines can still seek help from the United Nations Security Council if crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes of aggression among others, happen. He emphasized, however, that the council has less to offer than the ICC.
President Duterte announced on Wednesday that the country is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), ordering it to be ‘effective immediately’.
He cited that the basis for his decision is the “baseless, unprecedented and outrageous attacks” of the ICC against him, adding that the attempt of the ICC to place him under the tribunal’s jurisdiction due to his lead in the administration’s ‘war on drugs’ as another reason.
“I therefore declare and forthwith give notice, as President of the Republic of the Philippines, that the Philippines is withdrawing its ratification of the Rome Statute effective immediately,” the President said in a statement.
The Philippines is the 117th State Party of the ICC. The country signed the Rome Statute of the ICC in 2000 and ratified it in 2011.
Philippines is also not the first country to leave the ICC. Countries including Russia, South Africa, and Gambia have previously withdrawn from the group.
ICC is an intergovernmental organization that serves as a permanent international court that can prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes among others.
