1-RIDER Partylist Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez today said that the recent survey of OCTA Research showing growing support from Filipinos for the Philippines to rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a reflection of the people’s support for human rights and the rule of law.
Gutierrez said that he and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante earlier filed a resolution urging the Executive Branch to extend its full cooperation with the ICC, which is investigating former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s bloody anti-illegal drugs campaign that killed thousands of Filipinos.
“I’m not saying this is on behalf of the House, pero we welcome that development (survey). It just vindicates po ‘yung ating resolution,” Gutierrez, a member of the minority in the House of Representatives, said in a press briefing at the House of Representatives.
“We want to show them na we respect and uphold the rule of law (and) human rights), and seeing now, and dito sa Octa Research (survey results), mukhang sang-ayon po sa atin yung taong-bayan,” Gutierrez, a lawyer and member of Young Guns or a group of young and progressive lawmakers, in response to a reporter’s question during a press conference, said.
Gutierrez said this means that a majority of the people fully support calls for the Philippines to rejoin the ICC and investigate the mass extra-judicial killings during Duterte’s drug war.
“Ang ibig sabihin po, mukhang majority ng taongbayan is with us in this effort. And just to repeat, while we filed that resolution, we really, like with economic Cha-Cha, it’s all about sending the correct signals sa ating mga foreign friends and investors,” Gutierrez said.
“Kasi, as we mentioned, we’re part of the community of nations. Hindi po tayo nag-iisa dito sa Pilipinas,” he added.
For Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong and PBA Partylist Rep. Margarita “Atty. Migs” Nograles, rejoining the ICC is a prerogative of the Executive Department.
“Well, it’s an Executive decision, should this administration join the ICC,” said Adiong.
The previous administration, Adiong said, withdrew unilaterally from the ICC, but the current administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is “data-driven” when it comes to making decisions.
“I think this current administration is conscious on data-driven studies, ‘yung mga surveys, ‘yung mga research. Sabi nga ng mga kasamahan ko dito, ang gobyerno at ang administration, sino man ang nakaupo, ay responsive dapat sa mga pulso ng bayan,” Adiong said.
“That’s why we’re elected in the first place. So, I guess it’s part of the Executive to appreciate and probably decide on whether or not we should rejoin the ICC … So, I think it should be the Executive Branch that would put a stop to the issue of whether or not we would join or we would maintain our withdrawal from the ICC,” he added.
Nograles said she respects the results of the survey showing the swelling support of the people for the country to rejoin the ICC.
“We would respect that and (it) would really be up to the Executive,” Nograles said.
“Executive naman po ang magde-decide kung ‘yan po ang gusto po. So, tingnan po natin, Executive powers naman po ito,” she added.
The OCTA Research group’s recent survey was conducted from Dec. 10 to 14 last year and indicates a growing public sentiment towards the ICC.
The OCTA survey said 59 percent of respondents believe that the Philippines should rejoin the ICC, compared to 41 percent who oppose it.
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