Hasten ICC probe? Chiz sure Bato won’t agree with Duterte

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero is certain that his colleague Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa won't agree with former President Rodrigo Duterte's daring the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hasten its investigation into the alleged crimes against humanity in his anti-drug campaign.

"Pareho ba siya ng posisyon kila Senator Bato? Kaya magandang malaman kung ano ang ibig sabihin ni Pangulong Duterte...Dahil tiyak ko hindi sasang-ayon sa kanya si Senator Bato kaugnay sa bagay na 'yan," Escudero said when asked about Duterte's latest remarks during the House Quad Committee hearing earlier Wednesday.

(Does he have the same position as Senator Bato? This is why it would be good to know what President Duterte means...because I am sure Senator Bato would not agree with him about that matter.)

The ICC has already reopened its investigation into the matter, is unclear to Escudero how Duterte's call would be "operationalized" after Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, the treaty establishing the ICC, in 2018.

"Paano ulit i-o-operationalize ni Pangulong Duterte na madaliin ang ICC eh siya yung umalis doon? Hindi na bahagi ang Pilipinas ng ICC dahil sa kanya tapos ngayon papamadaliin niya yung ICC," Escudero remarks.

(And how would President Duterte operationalize speeding up the ICC when he was the one who left it? The Philippines is no longer part of the ICC because of him, now he wants to hurry them up.)

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said Duterte is in no position to demand this of the ICC.

"Ang problema kasi [The problem is]  he is not in a position to order also the ICC to do what he wants them to do," Pimentel, a former ally of Duterte, said.

For Pimentel, Duterte's remarks appeared to be an "expression of confidence in his position."

Amid the former president's latest remarks, Pimentel called on treaty law experts to consider the Philippines' cooperation with the ICC because the investigation against Duterte covers the period when the country was still a member of the international tribunal.

"Hindi ba tama lang na mag-cooperate ang Pilipinas sa ICC kahit hindi na tayo member ngayon basta ang investigation is about the period of time na member pa tayo? Kahit kumalas, umalis na tayo, meron pa rin tayong residual obligation to cooperate basta doon lang sa panahon na member tayo," Pimentel said.

(Isn't it only right that the Philippines cooperate with the ICC even if we are not now a member as long as the investigation covers the period when we were a member? Even if we left, we still have a residual obligation to cooperate.)

The ICC itself said it still has jurisdiction because the alleged crimes were committed from November 2011 to March 2019, while the country's withdrawal only took effect in March 2019.

Over the weekend, Pimentel urged President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to reassess his position regarding the ICC and consider rejoining the international tribunal.

The senator said rejoining the ICC would serve as an "insurance policy" against potential abuses of leaders and in the event the justice system fails.

Duterte in 2018 announced the Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC after the tribunal announced in 2017 that it was conducting an investigation into his anti-drug campaign.

In February, Marcos stood firm on his stance that he will not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC in the Philippines. — BM, GMA Integrated News