Palace: Marcos still not keen on having PH rejoin ICC

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is still not inclined to have the Philippines rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC) despite the appeals of some opposition lawmakers for the country to do so.

In an interview with reporters in New York, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro said Marcos’ stance on returning to the international tribunal remains the same.

“Hindi nagbabago yung stance ng Pangulo. Hindi pa rin po tayo ngayon magrerejoin sa ICC,” Castro said.

(The President’s stance has not changed. We will still not rejoin the ICC.)

Asked for a reason, she replied: “’Yan lang ang binitawan sa akin na salita ng Pangulo.”

(That’s the only statement the President told me.)

Marcos is in New York for a two-day working visit, which includes high-level engagements at the United Nations (UN).

The Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute that created the ICC in March 2018 upon former President Rodrigo Duterte’s orders. The withdrawal took effect a year later.

He was later arrested six years after in March 2025 on orders of the ICC for his alleged crimes against humanity in his war on illegal drugs.

His arrest sparked calls for the Philippines to rejoin the Rome Statute. In June 2025, Castro said Marcos was open to talks on this but said the possibility of returning to the ICC has not been discussed at the time.

The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I concluded its confirmation of charges hearings against the 80-year-old Duterte in late February.

At around the same time, opposition lawmakers ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago and Kabataan Party-List Rep. Renee Co filed a House resolution urging the return of the Philippines to the ICC. — With reports from Joseph Morong/JMA, GMA Integrated News