PH rejoining ICC? Casiño points flaws in justice system, but Querubin expresses trust 

Former Bayan Muna party-list representative Teddy Casiño agrees that the Philippine government should consider rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the country's justice system has only favored the powerful.  

"Kailangan natin bumalik sa ICC dahil bulok ang sistema ng hustisya sa ating bansa at kailangang may ibang matatakbuhan ang mga biktima ng mga matitinding krimen sa ating bansa," he said during the GMA's Tanong ng Bayan: The Senatorial Debates on Saturday.

(We need to return to the ICC because our justice system is rotten as victims of severe crimes need refuge.)

"Dito ho kasi sa ating bansa, double standards ang justice system eh. Kung mahirap ka, wala kang koneksyon, wala kang makukuhang hustisya, lalo na kapag ang katapat ang nang-biktima sa iyo ay pulis, military, o kaya mataas na opisyal ng gobyerno," Casiño added.

(Because our justice system here in the country has double standards. If you are poor, if you don't have connections, you will not get the justice you deserve, especially if you are up against a police, military, or a high government official.)

Former President Rodrigo Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the Hague-based ICC's Rome Statute in 2018, with the withdrawal taking effect in 2019, after the tribunal began a preliminary probe into his administration's drug war.

But a Supreme Court ruling in 2021 said that the Philippines must cooperate with the ICC despite its withdrawal from the Rome Statute, noting that the exit does not affect criminal proceedings pertaining to acts that occurred when a country was still a state party.

For his part, Retired Colonel Ariel Querubin, who has been arrested for coup attempts and mutiny plots in the past and given amnesty, believes that there is no point in rejoining the ICC if the country’s justice system is working fine.

“Hindi ako sangayon dahil umalis na tayo. Ba't pa tayo babalik? Isa pa, bakit tayo malilitis ng ibang banyaga? [...] At ako naniniwala sa ating justice system. Kung ang kulang lang, abogado, eh di magbigay tayo ng mga sapat na abogado para sa mga biktima,” he said.

(I don't agree with it because we already withdrew. So why bother returning? Also, why would we allow foreigners to execute us? [...] I believe in our justice system. If we lack lawyers, we should just hire more lawyers for the victims.)

Casiño, however, pointed out that no local courts have filed charges against those involved in the extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration's drug war.

"Ako ay naniniwala na ang hustisya para sa Pilipinas, pareho rin ang hustisya sa ibang bansa..Kaya anong kinakatakot ng mga kinakasuhan sa ICC? Ang problema nga, hindi naman sila nakakasuhan dito dahil magkakasabwat ang mga gumagawa ng krimen at dapat mag-imbestiga," the former congressman said.

(I believe the justice system in the Philippines is the same in other countries...But I don't understand what those being charged by the ICC are afraid of? In the first place, the problem is they were never charged here.)

Querubin asked Casiño: "...Ang tanong ko lang, hindi ba kayo naniniwala talaga sa hustisya natin?"

(My question is don't you really trust our own justice system?)

Casiño reiterated that it was only the ICC who acted on the EJK cases.

"Alam nyo po, karanasan ng bawat mamamayan na talagang may double standard sa ating bansa. Tingnan na lang natin yung mga EJK victims. Mahigit 6,000 yan, mahigit 7,000. At ilan lang ang nakasuhan ng mga pulis? Ilan lang ang actually na-convict?," he said.

(You know what, our people are experiencing the double standards. Just look at the EJK victims, they were around 6,000 to 7,000. But how many were charged for committing such crime? How many were convicted?)

"Dahil yung mismong nag-iimbestiga, ayaw mag-imbestiga. Yung mga piskal, ayaw mag-file ng kaso. Saan po tatakbo ‘yung ating mga kababayan? Mabuti nga, nandiyan yung International Criminal Court para doon madinig at doon magkaroon ng hustisya ‘yung ating mga kababayan," Casiño

(Because those who were supposed to investigate were not investigating. The fiscal refuses to file charges. So where can the people go? It's a good thing that the International Criminal Court is there to hear and serve justice to our people.)

The House of Representatives Quad Committee earlier raised the possibility of re-investigation of the thousands of extrajudicial killings in the country due to the shortcomings of the past administration.
 
Based on government records, over 6,000 drug suspects were killed during the Duterte administration’s anti-illegal drug operations. Human rights organizations, however, claim the number could reach 30,000 due to unreported related deaths.—LDF, GMA Integrated News

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