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House panels take up resolutions urging cooperation with ICC

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RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Fr. Flavie Villanueva along with workers carry the exhumed remains of Aljon Deparine at the Navotas Cemetery on September 17, 2021. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/09/24/20210917-alleged-ejk-victims-exhumed-gc-6438.jpg"/><figcaption>Fr. Flavie Villanueva along with workers carry the exhumed remains of Aljon Deparine at the Navotas Cemetery on September 17, 2021. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATE) </strong>— House panels have started tackling resolutions that could signal a reversal of the Philippine position against cooperation with the International Criminal Court&#x27;s (ICC) investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s bloody war on drugs.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/11/12/23/imee-analyst-tell-duterte-critics-he-remains-influential">Imee, analyst tell Duterte critics: He remains influential</a></li></ul><p>The House Committees on Justice and Human Rights convened a joint meeting on Wednesday.</p><p>Unlike other hearings, there was no advance notice on the House website for it.</p><p>It only had 2 items on its agenda: </p><ul>	<li>House Resolution 1393 filed by Duterte&#x27;s critics in the Makabayan Bloc: ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro, Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel on Oct. 17, 2023. </li>	<li>House Resolution 1477 filed by Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante and 1Rider party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez on Nov. 21, 2023. </li></ul><p>A third resolution, House Resolution 1482 filed by Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman on Nov. 21, is expected to be referred to the panels at the plenary session on Wednesday afternoon.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/15/23/duterte-summoned-to-answer-grave-threat-complaint">Duterte summoned to answer grave threat complaint filed by Rep. Castro</a></li></ul><p>All 3 resolutions are for the House to urge the government to cooperate with the ICC investigation despite the government previously announcing disengagement from the tribunal.</p><p>While the Makabayan bloc and Gutierrez are allied with the House Minority and Lagman has declared himself an independent minority lawmaker, Abante is a member of House Speaker Martin Romualdez&#x27;s majority — in fact, he is chair of the House Committee on Human Rights.</p><p>This follows incidents that have caused palpable tension between the Dutertes — former President Rodrigo and his daughter Vice President Sara — and the House. </p><div><strong>TENSION IN THE ADMINISTRATION</strong></div><p>It began last May, when Vice President Sara Duterte quit Romualdez-led Lakas CMD after the House removed Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as senior deputy speaker.</p><p>This was followed by the removal of confidential funds for civilian agencies, including the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, in the 2024 budget.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/19/23/vp-duterte-says-looking-into-impeachment-rumors">VP Duterte says looking into impeachment rumors</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/11/16/23/duterte-not-required-to-personally-face-summons-in-grave-threat-rap">Duterte not required to personally face summons in grave threat complaint, says Roque </a></li></ul><p>These were followed by former President Duterte castigating the House and Romualdez, and hinting at corruption at the House.</p><p>That, in turn, led the adoption of a House resolution upholding its &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/06/23/house-upholds-integrity-honor-after-attacks-from-duterte">integrity and honor</a>&quot;.</p><p>Last week, House leaders went out of their way to squelch talk that it was out to impeach the Vice President Duterte, with the former President floating a run for national office in case his daughter is ousted. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/21/23/pdp-laban-loses-more-congressmen-to-lakas-cmd">Duterte&#x27;s PDP-Laban loses more congressmen to Romualdez&#x27; Lakas-CMD</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2880838" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>In an interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo, Castro said the current administration has seen the importance of this move to the international community, as this was aligned with human rights and the rule of law.</p><p>Lakas-CMD, under Romualdez, campaigned heavily for President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr and his running-mate Duterte in the 2022 elections. </p><p>Now, talk has been swirling that the Vice President Duterte and Romualdez may face off in the 2028 presidential elections, although both have played this talk down.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/11/08/23/maneuvers-for-polls-threaten-uniteam-analysts">Maneuvers for coming polls threaten UniTeam: analysts</a></li></ul><div><strong>WHY NOW?</strong></div><p>Lagman, a longtime critic of the drug war, was evasive when media asked why the resolution is being tackled now.</p><p>&quot;Your guess is as good as mine….Kayo na ang mag-articulate ng nasa isip niyo,&quot; Lagman said.</p><p>He said he wants to believe that the government is simply adhering to the rule of law.</p><p>&quot;Sa aking pananaw, ay sinusunod natin lang ang rule of law kasi mahirap naman sabihin ko sa inyo yung hindi ko talaga alam completely. Mayroon din akong hinala, pero hinala lamang yan,&quot; he said </p><p>&quot;But gusto kong sabihin lang we follow the rule of law. Kung talagang susundin natin ang rule of law, ay kailangan natin mag-cooperate sa ICC investigators,&quot; he said. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2880113" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Although the government has made its policy on the ICC clear, Lagman said the sense of the House may have weight with the president, who is Speaker Romualdez&#x27;s cousin.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yung mga executive agencies ay pwedeng magpalit ng isip kung talagang nakikita nila na tama talaga na mag-cooperate ang ating bansa sa imbestigasyon ng ICC,&quot; he said. </p><p>Abante and Gutierrez were careful not to target any personality in their sponsorship speeches.</p><p>&quot;May I say this: This resolution involves principles, not personalities. Our commitment to the Rule of Law is a fundamental pillar of our democracy,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;By cooperating with the International Criminal Court, even after our withdrawal from the Rome Statute, we demonstrate that no one is above the law, and that we are accountable for our actions,&quot; Abante said.</p><p> Even our Supreme Court says that despite the country&#x27;s withdrawal from the Rome Statute, &#x27;the ICC retains jurisdiction over any and all acts committed by government actors until March 17, 2019,&#x27;&quot; he added.</p><div><strong>&#x27;STEP TOWARDS JUSTICE&#x27;</strong></div><p>For Castro, who has filed a grave threats case against the former President, it&#x27;s a step towards justice especially after Duterte said over the media that he had used confidential funds in killings.</p><p>&quot;Mas lalong hindi katanggap-tanggap noong malaman natin na ginamit ang pera galing sa mga Pilipino para sa pagpatay sa mga Pilipino. Sinabi mismo ni dating Pangulong Duterte sa programa ng SMNI, &#x27;ang intelligence fund, binili ko. Pinapatay ko lahat, kaya gano’n ang Davao,&#x27;&quot; he said. </p><p>Gutierrez, meanwhile, said cooperating with ICC would help &quot;serve to bolster our own dispensation of justice.&quot;</p><p>With only a handful of congressmen present, the joint panels suspended deliberation until officials of the executive as well as victims of the drug war have the chance to speak at a future hearing.</p><p>&quot;We are not trying to try or hear the merits of the complaint (at the ICC). All that we are urging is the cooperation of the government with the ICC,&quot; Lagman said.</p>

A lawmaker said his resolution on the matter 'is about principles, not personalities.'

House panels take up resolutions urging cooperation with ICC

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House panels take up resolutions urging cooperation with ICC

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 22, 2023 03:26 PM PHT

|

Updated Nov 22, 2023 07:07 PM PHT

Read More:

House Resolution 1393

House Resolution 1477

ICC

international criminal court

Sara Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte

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