Andanar hails SC's 'just and fair' ruling on PH withdrawal from ICC
Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar assured the public that the Duterte administration remained committed to protecting human rights despite the withdrawal of the Philippines from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Andanar made the statement after the Supreme Court junked petitions challenging President Duterte's decision to withdraw the Philippines from the ICC, citing the President as the primary architect of foreign policy.
In a statement Wednesday, March 17, Andanar lauded the decision of the SC.
"We welcome the just and fair ruling of the Supreme Court that dismissed petitions questioning the Philippine Government's unilateral withdrawal from the ICC," he said.
According to the Palace official, Duterte, in withdrawing the Philippines from the ICC, only upheld the country's sovereignty.
"As the chief architect of our country's foreign policy and international engagements, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, well within his capacity, upheld our sovereignty by withdrawing from the ICC who insists on getting involved with our nation's affairs and hindering our collective progress in securing the safety of our country from societal ills," he said.
Despite this, Andanar said the government would continue upholding human rights in a bid to end criminality in the country.
"We assert that the government, under the leadership and through the strong political will of President Duterte, continues to uphold and respect human rights and the rule of law while aiming to eradicate criminality," he said.
"Our functioning legal and judicial systems and our constant engagements with different independent and international organizations, are a testament that this government is committed to protecting and championing human rights," he added.
President Duterte announced that the Philippines was withdrawing from the ICC in March 2018 after ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said the court was opening a preliminary examination on the drug war due to reports of alleged extrajudicial killings during police anti-drug operations.
The Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC on March 17, 2019.