The groups Rise Up for Life and for Rights and the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) condemned the US objective to “dismantle” the International Criminal Court (ICC). The announcement was made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on July 13.
US President Donald Trump earlier issued an order targeting what he called the ICC’s “illegal and baseless actions” against US personnel and its close allies, especially Israel. He used this to pressure judges, prosecutors, and court officials, especially those involved in investigating and filing cases against US and Israeli forces in the genocide in Palestine.
Recall that Trump also earlier pressured United Nations special rapporteurs and personnel. The US is not a member of the ICC and has not signed the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court.
In a joint statement, Rise Up and NUPL called the move “an attack on the hard-won gains in international law and order.”
The two groups criticized the US directive for countries to withdraw political and financial support and pull out from the ICC. Rubio even warned that countries defying the US order will face sanctions.
It is widely known that the US attack on the ICC is meant to shield itself and Israel from accountability for the genocide in Palestine and numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity. It is a political move to absolve the US and Israel of their crimes in the Middle East.
“These calls also weaken the case of the Filipino people for the pending crimes against humanity case against Rodrigo Roa Duterte, and any potential cases against those most responsible for the killings and abuses tied to the bloody ‘war on drugs,’” Rise 4 Life and NUPL said.
The ICC is preparing to hear the crimes against humanity case against Duterte on November 30.
The groups also said that for the Philippines’ to rejoin the ICC is in the interest of the Filipino people. Its instruments, such as laws, treaties, and protocols, “protect more people in the world against grave human rights violations and serious crimes committed by powerful individuals.”
Treaties like the Rome Statute place states under the framework of international law and order. The ICC was established to hear cases and punish powerful individuals for four major crimes worldwide, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and the crime of aggression.
