Militant lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc are pushing the government to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC) even as they welcomed the Department of Justice (DOJ)'s readiness to cooperate with the United Nations (UN)-backed body to investigate extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the Duterte administration.

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas, and Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel on Friday, Jan. 24, hailed DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla's pronouncement that the government will engage with the ICC regarding its probe into the bloody war on drugs of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

For the lawmakers, it is "a step in the right direction towards achieving justice for the thousands of victims of [EJKs] under the previous administration".

While the government's engagement is important, the trio says it is not enough, especially if the cooperation is limited.

For Castro, the return of the Philippines as ICC member is necessary to hold accountable those responsible in the killings of over 7,000 documented individuals during drug operations.

Duterte administration critics believe the figure is over 30,000.

"We call on the Marcos administration to take the next logical step—restore Philippine membership in the ICC. Ang hustisya ay hindi dapat limitado sa usapan lamang. Kailangan ng konkretong aksyon para sa mga biktima at kanilang mga pamilya. Kailangang makulong ang mga may sala at mabigyan ng kompensasyon ang mga pamilya ng biktima (Justice should not be limited to just talks. It needs concrete action for the victims and their families. Those responsible must be jailed, and the victims must be compensated)," Brosas said.

The lawmakers then urged President Marcos to also take the following steps:

• Ensure full cooperation with ICC investigators
• Strengthen domestic mechanisms for justice and accountability, and
• Protect witnesses and families of victims

"The path to justice begins with acknowledging past wrongs and working with international accountability mechanisms. Dahil sa kabulukan ng ating sistema ng hustisya, ang ICC ay maaaring maging instrumento ng hustisya, hindi hadlang sa ating soberenya (Because our justice system is rot, ICC may serve as an instrument to justice and not a hindrance to our sovereignty)," Manuel said.