Senator Imee Marcos issued sharp criticisms on Wednesday, July 15, against the administration of her brother, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., targeting its response to Washington’s active push to weaken the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The lawmaker cautioned that persistence in assisting the tribunal could trigger severe diplomatic repercussions for the Philippines.
Her pushback followed a statement from Malacañang indicating that Manila would refrain from meddling in the United States’ strategy to undermine the Hague-based court through the reduction of its political and financial backing.
Marcos maintained that the dilemma extends far beyond whether the Philippines holds any sway over American foreign directives.
”The issue is not whether the Philippines can control US policy, but whether the government understands that its continuing cooperation with the ICC may expose the country to heightened scrutiny and possible diplomatic, visa or economic consequences,” the senator said.
Furthermore, she highlighted that maintaining ties with the ICC while America aggressively seeks to marginalize the international court risks compromising Manila’s relationship with its long-standing partner.
”By continuing to assist a court that the US now seeks to isolate, the Marcos administration may be putting Philippine interests and our strategic relationship with our principal treaty ally at unnecessary risk.”
The senator pressed the presidential palace to be transparent regarding the depth of its collaboration with the ICC and to outline its defensive strategy against potential fallout.
“The Palace should disclose the extent of its continuing cooperation with the ICC and explain what measures it is taking to protect the country from the consequences of that policy.”
Previously, Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro remarked that the executive branch would not interfere with the United States’ posture on the ICC, asserting that Washington’s independent decisions remain outside Manila’s jurisdiction.
“The policies of the US are not within the Philippine government’s control.”
The United States continues to be a primary defense ally and a vital provider of security and development aid to the Philippines.
The Philippines officially severed ties with the Rome Statute—the founding treaty of the ICC—back in 2019 under then-President Rodrigo Duterte. The exit became final in 2020 after the Duterte administration sought to obstruct the court’s inquiry into its bloody anti-narcotics campaign, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of suspected drug offenders.
While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has continually dismissed the possibility of re-entering the ICC, his administration has consistently argued that the nation must fulfill residual legal obligations to support the body.
This policy stance ultimately culminated in the March 2025 arrest of former President Duterte by local law enforcement, acting on an ICC-issued warrant.
Duterte is currently held in custody in The Hague, dealing with charges of crimes against humanity over alleged extrajudicial killings from both his presidency and his time as mayor of Davao City. His international trial is slated to commence in November 2026.
Additionally, the ICC has an active arrest warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, who directed the implementation of the anti-drug campaign during his stint as the Philippine National Police chief under Duterte.