Palace: US campaign vs ICC beyond Philippine government's control

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government will not intervene in the United States’ sweeping campaign against the International Criminal Court (ICC) to isolate the Hague-based institution and starve it of political and financial support.

“The policies of the United States are not within the Philippine government’s control,” Palace press officer Claire Castro told reporters in a message on Monday.

Malacañang’s comment was in response to the Trump administration’s announcement of a government-wide campaign against the Hague-based tribunal, pledging to persuade countries to withdraw from the ICC and denouncing the court as a threat to US sovereignty.

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According to the US State Department, the campaign will pressure other nations “to withdraw from the ICC and cut off any financial support to the court.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “nations that refuse to reject the ICC’s false authority while relying on US assistance are likely to come under increased scrutiny.”

The United States is the largest export destination for the Philippines, and one of its top overall trading partners.

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Treaty ally Washington has also been one of the biggest sources of official development assistance.

Manila withdrew from the Rome Statute that created the ICC in 2019 during the term of then-President Rodrigo Duterte in a bid to stop the ICC prosecutor from its investigations. The withdrawal took effect a year later.

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Despite this, the Marcos administration’s stand was that the country still has residual obligations as the alleged crimes were committed by Duterte and his co-perpetrators when the ICC still had jurisdiction.

Malacañang had also repeatedly invoked Section 17 of Republic Act No. 9851, or the “Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, which mandates the government’s cooperation, including the surrender of an accused, with international tribunals like the ICC.

While Marcos has repeatedly ruled out rejoining the ICC, cooperation with the tribunal remains relevant, as requests for assistance could affect ongoing proceedings and the Philippines’ compliance with its international legal obligations.

In March 2025, Duterte was arrested by Philippine authorities following an order from the ICC over crimes against humanity charges for being an indirect co-perpetrator in the extrajudicial killings during the anti-drug and anti-criminal campaigns from 2011 to 2019, when he served as Davao City mayor and later on as President.

He remains detained at The Hague and will face trial in November.

The ICC also issued a warrant of arrest against Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, for being a co-perpetrator in the Duterte case as a former chief of the Philippine National Police and architect of the war on drugs.

Dela Rosa has been in hiding since the failed attempt by Philippine authorities to serve the warrant of arrest against him inside the Senate premises in May.

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To prevent another escape from authorities, Malacañang committed that future warrants of arrest to be issued by the ICC against Dela Rosa and Duterte’s co-perpetrators would be enforced “immediately,” following Supreme Court decisions and resolutions favoring the government. /mr