No talks yet on rejoining ICC -Marcos

When asked about the possibility of the Philippines rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. simply smiled and said the matter had not been discussed, according to Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro.

"As of now, there have been no discussions on rejoining the ICC," Castro said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

"Iyong huli po nating nakausap ang Pangulo, tinanong po natin iyan nang personal at siya’y ngumiti lamang at sasabihin ko daw dapat na wala pa talagang napag-uusapan patungkol doon,'' she added.

(The last time I personally asked the President about it, he just smiled and told me to say that no discussions have taken place.)

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute, in 2019 after the tribunal launched a probe into the Duterte administration's drug war.

Earlier this month, the ICC issued a warrant of arrest for former President Rodrigo Duterte over crimes against humanity. He is currently in ICC custody in The Hague, Netherlands.

Marcos has upheld the legality of Duterte’s arrest, stating that the Philippine government honors its commitments with Interpol. Duterte’s confirmation hearing is set for September 23, following his first ICC appearance on March 14. — DVM, GMA Integrated News