MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has reaffirmed that the Philippines will not rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC), with Malacañang saying the President’s position on the matter remains unchanged despite renewed appeals from several opposition lawmakers.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the directive from the President is clear and categorical.
“Hindi nagbabago ‘yung stance ng Pangulo. Hindi pa rin po tayo ngayon magre-rejoin sa ICC,” Castro said.
Castro added that the remark reflects the only guidance given to her by the President regarding the issue.
Marcos is currently in New York for a two-day working visit that includes high-level meetings at the United Nations.
The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute — the treaty that created the ICC — in March 2018 under former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The withdrawal took effect a year later.
Duterte was arrested in March 2025 following an ICC warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity in connection with his administration’s controversial campaign against illegal drugs.
The development reignited calls from several lawmakers urging the government to restore the country’s membership in the Rome Statute.
In June 2025, Castro said the President was open to discussions about the issue but clarified at the time that no formal talks about rejoining the ICC had been initiated.
Meanwhile, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I concluded hearings in late February to determine whether the charges against the 80-year-old former president would proceed to the next stage.
Around the same period, ACT Teachers party-list’s Cong. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela party-list’s Cong. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan party-list’s Cong. Renee Co filed a House resolution urging the government to restore the country’s membership in the ICC./PN
