Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III has called on President Marcos to consider the proposal for the Philippines to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Pimentel made this appeal before members of the diplomatic community during a foreign policy address at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday, Nov. 8.

For Pimentel, rejoining the ICC would act as an "insurance policy" against potential abuses by a leader and, if the justice system fails.

“Let us rejoin the ICC. We should treat this our 'insurance policy' just in case 'our system' fails us and we get to elect an abusive, tyrannical, heartless leader, and our justice system fails us too,” Pimentel said in his speech.

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC after the United Nation (UN)-backed body announced in 2017 an investigation into the former administration’s bloody anti-drug campaign.

It was March 2018 when then-president Rodrigo Duterte ordered the withdrawal of the Philippines from the Rome Statute, which created the ICC.  

Noting  joining the ICC is an executive action, Pimentel says the ball is in the President’s court. He urged President Marcos to sign the necessary documents to reenter the ICC.

On the sidelines of the address, Pimentel told the media that his proposal for the Philippines to rejoin the ICC would serve as the Filipino people’s recourse against a “killer” and “tyrannical” leader, or when they see that the justice system is failing.

"We are monitoring the quad-com, and here in the Senate, we also have an investigation. We’ve seen that in the worst-case scenario where our systems fail, such as when our democratic system elects a killer  as a leader, one without conscience or compassion, and our justice system is slow to respond. In those events, it’s best to have an ‘insurance policy'," Pimentel said.
 

What about Bato, Duterte?

With the possible return to the ICC, alleged drug war architects Rodrigo Duterte as well as Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa would likely be subject to ICC's scrutiny. Dela Rosa has since declared his opposition to cooperating with the international body since Duterte ordered the country's withdrawal.

In a radio interview at Usapang Senado in DWIZ on Saturday, Nov. 9, Pimentel said that the Philippines has a responsibility to cooperate with the ICC's investigation as long as it's within the period that the country was still a member. 

Kung ang panahon na iniimbestigahan ay pasok pa sa panahon na miyembro pa tayo, dapat nagko-cooperate tayo. Pero yan ang aking interpretation (If the time period being investigated falls within the period when we were still members, we should cooperate. However, that's my interpretation)," he said.

"Dapat mag-cooperate tayo kasi ganoon ang pagkapirma natin. Yun ang nakasulat, yun ang pagkaintindi ko sa ICC (We should cooperate because that's what we agreed to. That's what's written, that's my understanding of the ICC)," he added.

Since assuming the presidency, Marcos has been firm that the Philippines has no intention to rejoin the ICC. While Pimentel is aware of the President's stance, he is urging Marcos to rethink this so that the people have a secondary justice system to go to.

BRICS alliance

Pimentel also recommended that the Philippines join the BRICS alliance.

“Let the Philippines apply to join BRICS. The march to a multi-polar world is inevitable as such is consistent with human nature. We should support the idea of a multi-polar world,” Pimentel said.

By joining BRICS, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the Philippines would strengthen its position within a more balanced global power structure, he added.

He said BRICS is a viable alternative to the current Western-dominated global order.

The minority leader says that it is about time that the Philippines re-calibrate its foreign policy strategy and tactic.

“We should re-calibrate our foreign policy strategy and tactics towards projecting this particular image of the Philippines to the entire world - that the Philippines is a friend to all Nations and is a responsible and law-abiding member of the community of Nations. 

Pimentel added: “The ultimate test that we have to pass to say that we have succeeded in this mission is if the Philippines becomes accepted by the rest of the world as their natural choice for a neutral venue for ‘talks, especially those involving the settling of disputes.”

“It is my dream that the Philippines should host talks, not bases,” he added.