Senator Chiz Escudero on Sunday (December 3) supported the decision of President Marcos to thoroughly study calls for the Philippines to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC), five years after the country’s withdrawal during the previous administration.
“Para sa akin tama iyong sinabi ng Pangulo na dapat ito ay pag-aralang mabuti dahil may mga pinasok tayong tratado na tayo naman ang nagbabayad palagi at tayo ang nagdurusa,” Escudero said in a radio interview.
The veteran legislator cited as an example the Philippines’ accession to the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an intergovernmental organization that was established in 1989 on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat money laundering.
“Katulad na lamang ng FATF, sumali tayo d’yan kaya tayo ang naba-blacklist. Ang Malaysia, hindi sumali kaya kahit anong gawin nila, hindi sila maba-blacklist,” Escudero pointed out.
As of 2022, the FATF has retained the Philippines in its “gray list,” citing its alleged failure to resolve “strategic inadequacies in countering money laundering, terrorist and proliferation financing.”
“Kaya itong ICC ay dapat pag-aralan din ng Pangulo. Ano nga ba ang mapapala ng ating bansa kung tayo ay muling papasok dito?” Escudero said.
He expressed hope that should the Chief Executive finally let the country rejoin the ICC, the basis will be a product of a well-studied decision that will benefit the country and not certain political interests.
“Sana hindi pulitika, sana hindi personal ang rason sa muli nating pagpasok sa ICC. Dapat iyan ang ipagpaliwanang nang husto ng Executive Branch kung itutuloy nga nila ang muli nating pagsali,” Escudero said.
In the event of the country’s return to the ICC, the Bicolano senator said the Senate may either issue a concurrence or a resolution supporting the move of President Marcos.
“The President is the chief architect of our foreign policy. Ang Kamara ay walang papel sa foreign policy. So, kung pumirma siya, doon lamang magsisimula ang usapin kung meron nga bang Senate concurrence na kailangan o hindi. Puwedeng concurrence, puwedeng resolution din ang gawin na sinasang-ayunan iyong muling pagpirma ng Pangulo at kung ito ay makakuha ng two-thirds votes ay parang ratification na rin yan,” Escudero opined.