Palace thanks Russia for supporting Philippines’ withdrawal from ICC

March 22, 2018

Malacanang thanked on Thursday Russia for its support on the Philippine decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Moscow's support was "expected".

"That’s to be expected, and we’d like to thank Russia for such a comment. The president has said that he is enjoining other countries of the world to withdraw from the ICC," he said.

Roque also cited reports that South Africa, which earlier relented from its decision to withdraw from the ICC, has revived its proceedings to leave the court.

"So, the Philippines is not alone," he said.

In an interview by ANC on Wednesday, Russian Ambassador to the Philippines Igor Khovaev echoed the Duterte administration's statement against ICC, saying its activities were "highly politicized."

Russia had signed the Rome Statute but it did not ratify it as Moscow withdrew from the ICC.

Duterte ordered the withdrawal from the Rome Statute effective immediately after the ICC prosecutor launched a preliminary examination against him following a complaint filed against him by a Filipino lawyer, with the backing of two opposition lawmakers, for the alleged crimes against humanity due to his bloody war on drugs.

Meanwhile, Roque said he was not privy to the information regarding President Rodrigo Duterte's disclosure recently that Filipino-American philantrophist Loida Nicolas Lewis was allegedly conspiring with the ICC.

Duterte said in a speech on Wenesday he has a transcript of supposedly wiretapped phone call regarding the ICC's preliminary examination.

He has said the transcript did not come from US, but from other country, which he refused to name.

"I don’t, unfortunately. It’s just the president who mentioned it. I’m not privy to information that was given to the president," Roque said.

Asked why Nicholas could be capable of conspiring with the ICC, he said, "She is rich. The ICC accepts donations from private persons and organizations. and I do know that—particularly on the reparation fund, the ICC welcomes donations from everyone."

He recalled that when he was still with the private sector and campaigning for the Philippine ratification of the Rome Statute, civil society was given a very big role in the ICC.

"In fact in the policy-making meetings of the Assembly of State-Parties as I said, I’ve attended many of these meetings representing civil society. So this is, I guess an unusual feature of the court although it was established by states, civil society is given a very strong voice. And of course if you look at the Rome Statute itself on issues of reparations, this is an innovative feature of the court that civil societies are allowed to assist victims of cases being heard by the court," he said.

While the ICC vowed to continue with the preliminary examination of Duterte's case despite the Philippine withdrawal, Roque reiterated Manila would not cooperate.

"I don’t think the ICC can look forward to cooperation from the Philippines as a state-party or a soon-to-be former state-party to the International Criminal Court," he said.

Duterte has said the Philippines' approval of the Rome Statute during the Aquino administration has no force and effect due to absence of publication. Celerina Monte/DMS