URC - Philippines

The Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) is calling on the Philippines to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as soon as possible. The Philippines actively took part in the 1998 United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court held in Rome and became a signatory to the treaty on December 28, 2000.

The Philippines has been taking positive steps to integrate policies and regulations in support of human rights and international humanitarian law into its legal system. Most notable among these efforts is the recent enactment of “The Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity,” which was signed into law in December 2009.

Despite the most recent ratification by Bangladesh, the Asia region remains poorly represented at the Court. By ratifying the Rome Statue, the Philippines would be joining Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Timor Leste as Asian States Parties to the treaty. The Philippines’ ratification of the Rome Statute would strengthen the Asian voice and presence at the Court and assure that the ICC is enriched by the diverse legal cultures of the region. It would further contribute to a robust and meaningful participation intended to ensure that the ICC – the first permanent, independent court capable of investigating and bringing to justice individuals who commit war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide – upholds and abides by the spirit of the Rome Statute.

In joining the ICC, the Philippines would further consolidate the rule of law and indicate its commitment to upholding the highest standards of international human rights. Therefore, the Coalition encourages the Philippines to assert its commitment to ending the culture of impunity by ratifying the Rome Statute of the ICC.

Take Action Now!

Write a letter to the President to encourage him to ratify the Rome Statute as soon as possible.

You might like to use the following letter as a guide. Please be sure to “cc” all contacts below when sending your letters

Send your letter to:

H.E. Benigno S. Aquino III
President
Malaca�ang Palace, JP Laurel Street
San Miguel Manila NCR 1005
Tel: +632.564.1451 |+632.736.1010
Fax: +632.735.8005

Hon. Alberto G. Romulo
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
2330 Roxas Boulevard,
Pasay City, Philippines
Tel: 632.834.4000 |+632.834.4020
Trunk: +632.834.4000
Fax: +632.832.1597

Hon. Reynato C. Corona
Chief Justice Philippine Supreme Court
Padre Faura Street
Ermita, Manila 1000 Republic of the Philippines
Tel: 632.523.0679 |+632.521.7239
Fax: +632.522.3211
Email: [email protected]

Hon. Leila de Lima
Secretary of Justice
Department of Justice
Padre Faura Street
Ermita, Manila, Republic of the Philippines 1000
Tel: +632.521.3310 | +632.523.8481/6828
Trunk: 523-8481 loc. 376/214
Fax: +632.521.1614| +632.526.7643
Email: [email protected] | [email protected] |[email protected]

Hon. Juan Ponce Enrile
Senate President
Senate Office
Rm. 606 6th Flr., GSIS Bldg.,
Financial Center, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines
Tel: +632.552.6690 | +632.552.6691
Trunk: +632.552.6601 loc. 5553 / 5587 / 6538
Email: [email protected]

Hon. Feliciano R. Belmonte, Jr.
Speaker of the House House of Representatives
Rm, MB-2
Batasan, Quezon City, Philippines 1126
Tel: +632.931.5001 loc. 7616/7219
Fax: +632.932.0535

H.E. Libran N. Cabactulan
Ambassador and Representative Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations
Philippine Center Building
556 5th Avenue New York, NY 10036
Tel: +1.212.764.1300
Fax: +1.212.840.8602
Email: [email protected]

The Chair
Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs
Senate Committee on Human Rights
Office of the Senate Secretary
6th Flr., Senate of the Philippines, Roxas Blvd. Pasay City, Philippines
Tel: +632.552.6601 loc. 6129 /23 & 24 | +632.552.6676
Email: [email protected]

The Chairperson
Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman, Quezon City
Tel: +632.928.5655 | +632.926.6188 | +632.929.0102

Your Excellency,

Let me first congratulate you on your election as the 15th Philippine President and the priorities you defined in your inauguration, including putting an end to insurgencies and improving the country’s justice system.

I am writing to urge you to ensure the Philippines’ ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as soon as possible, hopefully within your first 100 days in office.

The Philippines actively engaged in the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Establishment of an International Criminal Court in 1998, thereby demonstrating its support on the establishment of a permanent judicial body that would have jurisdiction over the most heinous and egregious crimes. Consequently, it signed the Rome Statute on December 28, 2000.

The Court’s investigations in Uganda, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan signify that it is moving forward in its crucial work to end impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The Philippines’ support for this new and vital system of international justice by acceding to the Rome Statute is therefore of the utmost importance.

The Court is the cornerstone of a new system of international justice that aims to ensure an end to impunity for the most serious international crimes. The Rome Statute came into force in July 2002 and now has the support of well over half of the world’s nations. As of June 2010, 111 states have ratified or acceded to the treaty, and 139 are signatories.

The first Review Conference of the Rome Statute, held in Kampala, Uganda from 31 May to 11 June, generated substantial momentum in the global fight against impunity. I encourage your government to seize this opportunity and momentum to reaffirm its commitment to the rule of law.

Ratifying the treaty would be consistent with the commitment of the government of the Philippines to uphold human rights as is enshrined in the Constitution, and to advance international law as reflected in the adoption of “The Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity” on 11 December 2009.

I urge your Excellency to use your good offices to endorse the ratification papers to the Philippine Senate for concurrence as soon as possible. This crucial step will allow the Philippines to continue its progress toward becoming a State Party to the Rome Statute. Together with other states parties and the international community, the Philippines would help to consolidate and ensure the success of this new system of justice.

Sincerely,

English \|Espa�ol \|Fran�ais \|Arabic \|Browse documents by other languages Follow Us: