With the ICC’s confirmation of charges hearing against former president Rodrigo Duterte now concluded, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not moved from his position against rejoining the court.
Palace spokesperson Claire Castro confirmed Sunday that the administration remains opposed to returning to the International Criminal Court. “Hindi pa rin natitinag ang kaniyang posisyon. Hindi pa po tayo magre-rejoin sa ICC. Sa ngayon po, same position hindi pa rin tayo magre-rejoin,” Castro told DZMM TeleRadyo’s Story Outlook. She did not clarify whether Marcos’ stance predated or accounted for the latest developments in the Duterte proceedings.
Pre-Trial Chamber I wrapped up the four-day hearing last week and will issue a ruling within 60 days on whether there are sufficient grounds to send Duterte to full trial. He faces charges of crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape, stemming from the drug war that left thousands dead during his presidency and his earlier years as Davao City mayor.
The Philippines had been an ICC member since 2011, but Duterte pulled the country out of the Rome Statute in 2018, one month after the court’s prosecutor launched a preliminary inquiry into the drug war killings. Despite the withdrawal taking effect in 2019, the ICC retained jurisdiction over the period of membership and in 2021 elevated the probe to a full investigation. The Marcos government initially refused to cooperate — then reversed course in March 2025, handing Duterte over to The Hague after his arrest at the Manila airport.
