DAVAO CITY, Philippines -The deep social fault lines are seen in the recent survey if Filipinos are in favor of the Philippines returning as a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The recent survey by OCTA research showed about six of ten Filipinos, or 57% of its respondents, favor the country’s return to ICC in a bid to restore justice following the fallout in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal anti-drug campaign.
The ICC has arrested Duterte and is conducting investigations on crimes against humanity committed under Duterte’s leadership as Davao City mayor and president, even after the country withdrew membership in 2019.
The ICC is an international tribune that investigates and tries individuals charged with “gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression”.
In OCTA’s recent survey conducted from April 22 to 24, 60 percent of respondents in Metro Manila, Luzon and Visayas support the move.
Resistance to rejoin ICC remains high in Mindanao, Duterte’s home region, with 30% of respondents supporting the call while 66% opposed.
A Davao City resident, Rio Roxas, age 45, expresses that sentiment in an interview with Davao Today, as he echoed a common argument among Duterte supporters.
“We should not join,” he said. “I believe that because of Duterte, the drug pushers became afraid.”
Roxas warned that external involvement in domestic affairs, especially law enforcement, could weaken the government’s authority. “It’s as if the Philippines is being handed over to another country,” he added.
On the other hand, Denessa Urbiztondo, a student in Davao, believes rejoining ICC can restore justice and accountability in the country.
“Even if it involves a former president, I can tell that the ICC is serious about their investigation and isn’t scared. As a result, my confidence in them has grown. They seem to be immune to Philippine politics and capable of delivering genuine justice.”
Among the respondents in the survey, there is a high awareness of 85% saying they have heard or read about the task of the ICC.
The administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has so far declined to rejoin the court, of which the Philippines was a member from November 2011 to 2019.
Human rights lawyer Kristina Conti, who represented the families of the war on drugs victims who will testify before the ICC, said the “strong public opinion” supporting ICC indicates the “Filipinos’ yearning for genuine justice”.
“The ICC is somehow earning the confidence of many Filipinos because it has presented itself as a platform to bring chief perpetrators to account, as a community of states believing in a just legal order,” she said in her social media account.
Conti believes that rejoining the ICC will help attain justice for victims of atrocities and human rights violations, and restore faith in systems that have been broken down in the political discord.
“In a country steeped in systemic impunity, it is significant to demonstrate that it is possible to turn the tables – Filipinos want, need, and deserve accountability,” the human rights lawyer said.
Meanwhile, Duterte is set to face confirmation of charges in his trial in September, as ICC prosecutors have presented another batch of evidence, which brings a total of 1,062 items as evidence on his war on drugs campaign that have reportedly killed 30,000 people without due process.(davaotoday.com)
