PRIMER

DE LIMA FILES RESOLUTION URGING PHILIPPINES TO REJOIN ICC

Leila de Lima has filed a resolution calling on the Philippine government to restore the country's membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Through House Resolution No. 1056, De Lima urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Department of Foreign Affairs to pursue the country's re-accession to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.

According to De Lima, rejoining the ICC would reaffirm the Philippines’ commitment to justice, accountability, human rights, and the rule of law, while helping deter grave international crimes and strengthen public trust in the justice system.

The Philippines became a member of the ICC in 2011 but formally withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019 under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

De Lima is also urging fellow lawmakers to support the measure, saying that rejoining the ICC would reinforce the country's standing in the international community and demonstrate its commitment to upholding international law.