Imee Marcos to pro-ICC probe solons: 'Let's stand our ground as the President has'
By Dhel Nazario
Sen. Imee Marcos stood by the stance of his brother, President Marcos that the country's courts will not be rendered subordinate to the International Criminal Court (ICC) amid a renewed push to cooperate with it.
Marcos said that this has been the answer of the President many times on the question of cooperating with the ICC and that the Philippines is a sovereign nation with its own system of justice.
She made the statement in reaction to House Resolution (HR) Nos. 1393 and 1477, which both seek the Philippine government's cooperation with the ICC pertaining to the investigation of then-president Rodrigo Duterte in connection with complaints regarding his bloody war on drugs.
"Let's stand our ground, as the President has done many, many times," she said.
It was March 2018 when Duterte ordered the withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute, which created the ICC.
This, was after ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced that she would start a preliminary examination against Duterte in connection with complaints on his bloody war against drugs.
"Who are the lawmakers pushing for foreign interference in our justice system?" Marcos said.
"Why are they intent upon the subjugation of the independent Philippine judicial system to foreign entities?" she added.
Of the two, HR No.1393 specified that the investigation was in connection with the alleged crime against humanity committed during the previous Duterte administration.
Reacting earlier to the release of former senator Leila de Lima, she said that it is a testament to the independence of the judiciary. She stated that this bolsters her position that the ICC has no jurisdiction over any Filipino, especially Duterte.