(Eagle News) — The Philippines has formally notified the International Criminal Court of its decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.
In a Twitter post, Philippine Ambassador to the UN Teddy Locsin Jr. said he delivered the notice to UN Chef De Cabinet Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti.
He said the Secretary General, António Guterres, was “abroad.”
In the notice dated March 15, 2018, the Philippines said the decision to withdraw was the country’s “principled stand against those who politicize and weaponize human rights, even as its independent and well-functioning organs and agencies continue to exercise jurisdiction over complaints, issues, problems and concerns arising from its efforts to protect its people.”
The Philippines assured the “community of nations” that despite the withdrawal, it “continues to be guided by the rule of law embodied in its Constitution, which also enshrines the country’s long-standing tradition of upholding human rights.”
“The government affirms its commitment to fight against impunity for atrocity crimes…especially since the Philippines has a national legislation punishing (these),” it said.
It said the government remains “resolute in effecting its principal responsibility to ensure the long-term safety of the nation in order to promote inclusive national development and secure a decent and dignified life for all.”
“The Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Secretary General of the (UN) the assurances of its highest consideration,” it said.
On Wednesday, President Duterte announced the country was withdrawing its ratification of the Rome Statute, the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court.
The President cited “baseless, unprecedented and outrageous attacks on my person as against my administration, engineered by the officials of the United Nations, as well as the attempt by the (ICC) special prosecutor to place my person within the jurisdiction of the (ICC)” as reasons for the withdrawal.
The “actuations and statement of UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard and UN High Commissioner on Human Rights Zeid Raad Al-Hussein,” he said, in particular, “readily show international bias and refusal of some sectors of the international community to support the Philippines legitimate efforts at self-determination, nation-building and independence from foreign influence and control.”
He said this was “coupled by the implication of culpability that the preliminary examination by prosecutor Fatou Besouda unduly and maliciously created.”
“It is apparent that the ICC is being utilized as a political tool against the Philippines,” he said.
The ICC recently announced a preliminary examination of the communication filed by lawyer Jude Sabio over the Philippine government’s drug war was underway.