MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said he would question the Senate if they submit a certified copy of the hearing transcript on the war on drugs to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
At a press conference, Dela Rosa said that if Senate President Chiz Escudero agrees to send a copy of the investigation to the ICC, he would want to know why. He worries that doing so might suggest that the Philippines accepts ICC’s authority, even though President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said they do not.
Dela Rosa also asked that Escudero first find out exactly how the document would be used. He thinks that if the transcript is for the ICC, the Senate should refuse to send it.
The senator stressed he wasn’t afraid of the contents of the transcript but didn’t want the country to seem disorganized. He believes everyone should be in agreement, so if Malacañang (the presidential office) says the ICC isn’t recognized, the rest of the country should follow.
