Pasay City, Philippines – Speaker Martin Romualdez clarified that the House of Representatives' engagement with a resolution urging the Marcos administration to cooperate with the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into the war on drugs under former President Rodrigo R. Duterte is a standard legislative process.
According to Philippines News Agency, who spoke during the 31st Annual Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), addressing House Resolution 1477 is a "matter of course" in the legislative process and reflects the House’s responsiveness to lawmakers' concerns. He denied allegations by former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque that he was behind the resolution. The resolution, authored by House Human Rights Panel chairperson Bienvenido Abante Jr. and 1-Rider Party-list Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, mirrors sentiments within the House and follows a similar measure filed by the Makabayan bloc.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte criticized the resolution, calling it unconstitutional and an insult to the Philippine justice system. She urged the House to respect President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s stance against cooperating with the ICC, arguing that such cooperation undermines the jurisdiction of Philippine prosecutors and courts. In July, Marcos affirmed that the Philippines would not cooperate with the ICC, referencing the country's withdrawal from the Rome Statute. Similarly, Senator Robin Padilla urged the public to respect this decision, emphasizing national unity and the independence of the Philippine legal system.