Sen. Imee Marcos during one of the public hearings of the Senate committee on national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation. Senate PRIB file photo
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Senator Imee Marcos has filed a resolution directing the appropriate Senate panel to investigate the 鈥渦nwarranted presence鈥� of intergovernmental organizations that 鈥減ose threat鈥� to Philippine independence.
In her proposed Senate Resolution No. 927, Marcos particularly mentioned the International Criminal Court and the United Nations (UN).
Marcos emphasized that the Philippines, in 2018, has already submitted a notice of withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
鈥淥n February 8, 2018, the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC announced that it will be opening the preliminary examination in the Philippines. The examination covered the crimes allegedly committed by the State since July 1, 2016 during the conduct of the government鈥檚 War on Drugs campaign. Particularly, the ICC prosecutor examined cases of alleged extrajudicial executions committed during the anti-drug operations by the police,鈥� said Marcos.
鈥淒espite the country鈥檚 withdrawal, the ICC still continued its investigation into the alleged crimes, even rejecting in July 2023 the country鈥檚 appeal to cease the investigation,鈥� she added.
Marcos鈥� resolution was filed following reports that 聽ICC investigations on former President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 bloody anti-drug campaign have already begun.
In the same resolution, Marcos detailed UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan鈥檚 recent visit to the Philippines.
鈥淯N Special Rapporteur Khan conducted an official 10-day visit to the Philippines from 23 January to 02 February 2024 regarding the freedom of expression and opinion in the Philippines. During a press briefing, Khan recommended the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac),鈥� said Marcos.
鈥淎ccording to Khan, the foundations of NTF-Elcac鈥檚 creation, through then-President Rodrigo Duterte鈥檚 Executive Order No. 70, had changed already. The NTF-Elcac had not taken into consideration the peace negotiations sought by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.鈥檚 administration with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines,鈥� she added.
Marcos, meanwhile, labelled UN and ICC representatives鈥� aforementioned actions as 鈥渁n impolite intrusion鈥� against independence, sovereignty, and prerogative of the Philippines to implement programs that address the peace and order situation of the country.
It then prompted her to file the resolution, adding that these acts are 鈥渃ounterproductive鈥� to the country鈥檚 staunch fight against terrorism, illegal drugs, and crimes among others.