Majority of Pinoys back rejoining the ICC —OCTA survey

Majority of Filipinos are in favor of the Philippines rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to the results of an OCTA Research survey released on Monday. 

The Tugon ng Masa nationwide survey, conducted from April 20 to 24, showed that 57% of Filipinos want the country to rejoin the ICC while 37% are opposed to the move, and 6% remain undecided.

Those who expressed support for rejoining the ICC was strong in most regions of the country. The survey results indicated that in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, and the Visayas, at least 60% of respondents backed the move.

However, Mindanao was an exception—with only 30% in favor of rejoining the ICC and 66% rejecting it, the highest rate of opposition recorded across regions. 

Across socioeconomic classes and age groups, support remains relatively consistent with at least half of the respondents in each category favoring rejoining, according to the survey.

Further, opposition by class ranges from 34% to 42%, with the highest levels in Class E. By age, opposition spans 32% to 44%, with at least 40% of adults aged 18–24, 35–44, and 45–54 not in favor of rejoining the ICC.

A total of 1,200 male and female respondents aged 18 and above were interviewed face-to-face for the study.

The survey has a margin of error of ±3 % at a 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following margins of error at a 95% confidence level: ±6% for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.  

Respondents were shown the following statement before they were asked of their stand: The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a global institution dedicated to upholding justice and protecting human rights by holding individuals accountable for the most serious crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression. 

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC’s founding treaty, the Rome Statute, in 2019 after the tribunal launched a probe into the Duterte administration's deadly drug war.

When asked last March about the possibility of the Philippines rejoining the ICC, Marcos simply smiled and said the matter had not been discussed.

This was after the arrest of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte and the latter's detention in the Netherlands on charges of crimes against humanity before the ICC.

However, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro recently said the President was open to having discussions with regard to the Philippines rejoining the tribunal. —AOL, GMA Integrated News