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Bato dela Rosa: ICC not after justice, but about controlling their member-states
Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa believes that the International Criminal Court is not about pursuing justice, but about controlling their member-states.
The lawmaker made the remark at the Tanong ng Bayan: the GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025 as his fellow senatorial aspirants debated on whether the Philippines should rejoin the ICC.
"The ICC is not all about justice. ICC is about control. They are not after justice, they are about controlling all the member nations of the ICC. Bakit? Kita ko ito sa kaso natin sa Pilipinas (Why? You can see it in the case in the Philippines)," Dela Rosa said.
The senator was not able to elaborate his answer further due to lack of time, but he was referring to the ICC's ongoing investigation into the Duterte administration's war on drugs, where he earlier tagged himself as the "number two accused."
Dela Rosa, who served as the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief when the controversial drug war was launched, recently said that he will seek relief from the Supreme Court should the ICC pursue its investigation in the Philippines.
"Kung magiging pabor o kontra, whatever, basta ang nagbigay ng desisyon ay ating korte, hindi korte na banyaga. Kung desisyunan ng korte ang aming kaso laban sa akin, susunod po ako," Dela Rosa, responding to the question of panelist and GMA veteran anchor Vicky Morales.
(No matter what the court decision is,I will follow the ruling as long as it is not a foreign judicial body.)
For him, he doesn't need to explain himself before the ICC, reiterating that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines following the country's withdrawal of membership from the Rome Statute-- the treaty that created the international tribunal.
Dela Rosa highlighted this when answering the follow up question of GMA veteran journalist Jessica Soho on his position against allowing the ICC investigation which might be viewed to be in conflict with his former position as a law enforcer.
"ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines. Very clear. Article 127 ng Rome Statute. Sinasabi doon, hindi maabswelto ang Pilipinas sa mga pangyayari na sakop doon sa panahon na tayo ay miyembro. But, itong mga imbestigasyon na ito ay dapat nag-commence before tayo, before nag-effect ‘yung ating withdrawal," Dela Rosa said.
(It is stated there that the Philippines will not be absolved for the alleged crimes that happened during the time that we are still a member of the ICC, but the investigation should commence before the withdrawal took effect.)
"Ang nangyari ngayon, ang imbestigasyon nila mag-start after the withdrawal so walang jurisdiction, kahit saan tayo mag-abot, walang jurisdiction ang ICC," he stressed.
(What is happening right now is the investigation started after the withdrawal. So the ICC has no jurisdiction over us.)
The Philippines formally withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019, after the tribunal started preliminary examination on killings linked to the drug war.
While President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. repeatedly stated that he is not recognizing ICC's jurisdiction in the Philippines, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla recently expressed openness to engage with the international tribunal.
In January 2023, the ICC authorized the reopening of its inquiry, which had been suspended in November 2021.
By July 2023, the ICC Appeals Chamber denied the Philippine government's plea to halt the investigation, prompting many officials to criticize continued engagement with the tribunal.
Government records indicate that around 6,200 individuals were killed during anti-drug operations. However, human rights organizations estimate the death toll could be as high as 30,000 due to unreported but related killings. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
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