Cayetano urges PH courts to act ahead of ICC

PHILIPPINES, April 13 - Press Release
April 12, 2025

Cayetano urges PH courts to act ahead of ICC

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano called for a sincere reassessment of the Philippines' position on the International Criminal Court (ICC), emphasizing that domestic courts - particularly the Supreme Court - should first handle key legal issues to ensure that accountability remains within the country before irreversible international actions are taken. "Please consider this carefully. Kung mag-issue uli ang ICC ng arrest warrants, I honestly ask you to allow the defendants to go to court. The safer option kasi is they go before Philippine courts kasi kapag nandoon na sa ICC, wala nang rewind. Wala nang remedy dito," Cayetano told Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla during the April 10, 2025 Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on the ICC case of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Cayetano underscored the absence of a global supreme court, noting that once a case reaches the ICC, the country loses its ability to interpret and act under its own legal framework. "My problem is walang World Supreme Court so there's only the ICC and the appellate courts. Unlike kung dito filed sa judiciary natin, then we can come up with our interpretation. Whether the ICC has jurisdiction or not would have been considered under Philippine law and President Duterte would have been able to present his case, not only on jurisdiction issues but also on whether or not there is probable cause (in his crimes against humanity case)," he said.

The senator acknowledged that while the Supreme Court is currently reviewing cases involving Duterte's arrest and transfer to the ICC, future cases should be carefully considered under local jurisdiction, even without the ruling of the high court. "We can argue back and forth, but the reality is nandoon na sa ICC si President Duterte. But [this appeal] is for future cases, whether it's Senator Bato (Ronald dela Rosa) and for others named (in the case)," he said. Doing so, Cayetano said, would establish clearer legal guidance and ensure that justice remains grounded in the country's own constitutional and judicial processes.

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Cayetano nanawagan na aksyunan muna ang mga kaso sa bansa bago sa ICC

Nanawagan si Senador Alan Peter Cayetano sa gobyerno na pag-isipang mabuti ang posisyon ng Pilipinas sa International Criminal Court, partikular sa paghawak ng mga hukuman dito sa bansa - lalo na ng Supreme Court - ng mga malalaking kaso bago makialam ang ICC. "Please consider this carefully. Kung mag-issue uli ang ICC ng arrest warrants, I honestly ask you to allow the defendants to go to court. The safer option kasi is they go before Philippine courts kasi kapag nandoon na sa ICC, wala nang rewind. Wala nang remedy dito," apela ni Cayetano kay Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin "Boying" Remulla sa pagdinig nitong April 10, 2025 nG Foreign Affairs Committee sa ICC case ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.

Paliwanag kasi ni Cayetano, dahil walang supreme court na sumasaklaw sa buong mundo, wala nang kontrol ang Pilipinas kapag umabot na sa ICC ang isang kaso at hindi na natin pwedeng gamitin ang sarili nating batas o magdesisyon ayon sa ating legal na sistema. "My problem is walang World Supreme Court so there's only the ICC and the appellate courts. Unlike kung dito filed sa judiciary natin, then we can come up with our interpretation. Whether the ICC has jurisdiction or not would have been considered under Philippine law and President Duterte would have been able to present his case, not only on jurisdiction issues but also on whether or not there is probable cause (in his crimes against humanity case)," sabi niya.

Dagdag ng senador, dapat tiyakin nating sa Pilipinas muna dadaan ang mga kaso ni Duterte na nagdulot ng kanyang pagka-aresto at pagsuko sa ICC kahit hindi pa tapos ang proseso at desisyon ng Korte Suprema. "We can argue back and forth, but the reality is nandoon na sa ICC si President Duterte. But [this appeal] is for future cases, whether it's Senator Bato (Ronald dela Rosa) and for others named (in the case)," aniya. Ayon kay Cayetano, kapag ginawa ito, magkakaroon ng mas malinaw na gabay sa batas at masisigurong mananatili sa ating sariling sistema ng hustisya ang mga kaso - ayon sa ating Saligang Batas at mga proseso sa hukuman.