House resolution supporting ICC probe of Duterte could be sent to committee soon — Castro
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives may soon start deliberating at the committee level a resolution in favor of the International Criminal Court’s investigation of the Duterte administration’s drug war, according to one of the Makabayan bloc lawmakers who authored the resolution.
Deputy Minority Leader Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers) said that a “political leader close to (House Speaker Martin Romualdez)” told her and other Makabayan bloc lawmakers that the resolution may be discussed by a House panel “in the next few days and weeks.”
“(This resolution) is one of the measures that (the Makabayan bloc) extensively lobbies with the leadership. And we were told that there will be good news soon because it might be up for discussion in the next few days,” Castro said in Filipino in an interview with One News' Storycon on Wednesday.
Philstar.com has reached out to the Office of House Speaker Martin Romualdez for comment and will update this story with their response.
House Resolution 1393 — which calls on the Marcos administration to cooperate with the ICC in probing the alleged crimes against humanity committed during Duterte’s so-called war on drugs — has been read on first reading and referred to the committee on rules, after which it was sent to the justice committee.
A House resolution is a legislative document that expresses the position, opinion, or intent of the House on an issue. It does not have the force of law but serves as a formal declaration of the House’s stance.
Several resolutions filed by the tiny three-member Makabayan bloc have not been adopted in the past or tackled at the committee level. Calls to lift the government's terrorist tag on New People's Army rebels and for the United States government to apologize for its "abuses" during the Philippine-American war were the subject of previously filed resolutions that have yet to make it to first reading.
Castro said that the resolution supporting the ICC’s probe of Duterte is a matter that requires “immediate urgency.”
“Many of our people have been seeking justice for the incidents of extrajudicial killings that have taken place,” the lawmaker said.
The House recently approved House Resolution 1414, which expressed lawmakers’ intent to "(uphold) the integrity and honor of the House of Representatives and (express) appreciation, solidarity and support" for Romualdez.
The resolution, authored by House leaders, took exception to recent "statements made that undermine the independence, integrity and reputation" of the lower chamber, referring to remarks by former President Rodrigo Duterte accusing Romualdez and the lower chamber of corruption.
Last month, Castro thanked Romualdez and House leaders for defending her against Duterte's televised remarks where he told the lawmaker that she was a "(communist) who I want to kill."
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