Palace says Philippines won’t rejoin ICC

THE PHILIPPINES has no plan to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC), Malacañang said on Tuesday, reiterating the government’s position as proceedings against former President Rodrigo R. Duterte continue in The Hague.

“The President’s stance has not changed,” Palace Press Officer Clarissa A. Castro told a livestreamed briefing from New York in Filipino. “We are still not rejoining the ICC at this time.”

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC on March 17, 2019, a year after the government moved to revoke its ratification of the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court.

Mr. Duterte initiated the withdrawal in March 2018 following the ICC prosecutor’s preliminary examination into alleged crimes linked to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.

Despite the country’s exit, the ICC retained jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the Philippines was still a member of the court.

Mr. Duterte has been in The Hague since his arrest in March 2025 and is facing charges of crimes against humanity for actions tied to the anti-drug campaign during his tenure as Davao City mayor and later as Philippine President.

Pre-trial judges at the ICC are expected to decide whether the case will proceed to a full trial after a recent pre-trial hearing.

The Marcos administration has repeatedly said it would not rejoin the ICC, maintaining that Philippine institutions are capable of addressing legal matters within the country’s jurisdiction.

Ms. Castro reiterated that the President’s position remains unchanged amid international scrutiny of the case.

The ICC, based in The Hague, prosecutes people accused of the most serious crimes under international law, including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking