We all live in a chaotic and divisive world. In this case, I’m talking about the concept of the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in the Netherlands getting involved in the internal affairs of the Philippines, particularly with the judicial process. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., stood up to the ICC pointing out that the nation has a functioning judiciary, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. Be aware that the Philippines severed its ties with the ICC five years ago.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news report. Some parts in boldface…
It is a “mistake” for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to intervene in the Philippines’ judicial process, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has said, as he maintained that the country has a functioning judiciary.
Marcos made the remarks during his bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday in Berlin, Germany, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement on Thursday.
“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. stood firm before German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that the International Criminal Court has no jurisdiction over the Philippines as it remains to have a working judicial system and law enforcement mechanisms,” Garafil said.
During the meeting, Marcos told Scholz that ICC cannot investigate the Philippines’ drug campaign under the Duterte administration because the country is capable of conducting its own probe.
Marcos said there is no need for the international court to meddle, considering that “there are too many lawyers in the Philippines already.”
“And so, it’s really a question of jurisdiction and we have our own investigations and we’re capable of conducting our own investigations and, so we are, we are continuing to do so,” Marcos was quoted as saying by the PCO.
Marcos said the ICC’s apparent intrusion into the Philippine judicial system is something that his administration has to deal with.
He said it is “unacceptable” for an international court to take control over the Philippines where there is a working judicial system and law enforcement mechanisms.
“Well, there is now a conflict between – in terms of jurisdiction because, in our opinion, the ICC was created when a country has no judiciary, no functioning judiciary, no police force to enforce peace and order; enforce law,” Marcos said.
“As a matter of principle, it is very difficult for the Philippines to accept that an outside court will, shall I say, dictate to our policemen, ‘who they will investigate, who they will arrest and who will say, that hey, because we don’t need that advice’,” he added, stressing that the country has a “functioning military and police force that uphold the rule of law.”
In February this year, Marcos said the ICC prosecutors could “produce as much evidence as they want but they could not act upon it in the Philippines.”
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this recent development? Do you think that the ICC and its henchmen here in the Philippines are secretly conspiring to weaken the nation’s justice system and the local authorities’ fight against crime? Do you think the latest move by President Marcos will send a clear signal to the internationalist organizations that it is pointless for them to violate the sovereignty of the Philippines?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
+++++
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
Author Carlo Carrasco 