Philippines now 117th Rome Statute member
The Philippines has become the 117th state to join the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the court that deals specifically with the most gruesome crimes facing humanity.
The Philippines deposited the Instrument of Ratification of the Rome Statute with the United Nations Secretary General on Tuesday.
In a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the UN in New York said the deposit was made at the UN Office of Legal Affairs Treaty Section and witnessed by Senator Loren Legarda, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago sponsored Senate Resolution Number 546 which gave the Senate’s concurrence, with Legarda as co-sponsor.
The ICC is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and has jurisdiction over individuals from states that are parties to the treaty in cases involving genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
While the ICC is separate from the UN system, the Security Council may refer cases to the court’s prosecutor who may also start investigations.
Last Monday, the court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy for crimes against humanity, his son Saif al Islam and Khadafy’s head of intelligence, Abdullah al Senussi.
According to Philippine Permanent Representative Ambassador Libran Cabactulan, the ratification of the Rome Statute “is a clear signal of the importance with which the Philippines places to this treaty.”
“The Philippines, a democracy that champions international law and the rule of law, views being party to the Rome Statute of the ICC as a vital part of the ongoing global campaign to end impunity and violence against individuals and to further strengthen a rules-based international system, specifically in relation to international human rights law and humanitarian law,” Philippine Permanent Representative Ambassador Libran Cabactulan said.
A news release on the ICC website said ICC President Sang-Hyun Song, who visited the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries in March for consultations regarding the ratification of the Rome Statute, applauded the Philippines’ move.
“This act is yet another indication of Asia’s growing role in the international community’s efforts to put an end to impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to humanity. I send my heartfelt congratulations to all those in the Philippines who worked hard to make this day possible, and I hope that this historic decision will serve to dispel unfounded concerns about joining the ICC among other Asian nations,” Song said.
Cabactulan said the ICC “serves as a deterrent against genocide and other heinous crimes and ensures that all perpetrators of these serious crimes of concern are held accountable.”
Since 2002, most of the cases referred to the court have been mostly in Africa, such as Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic.
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