Absent mechanisms to ensure independence, effectiveness and credibility through transparency and consultations, the latest probe body will be nothing more than a publicity stunt aimed at pacifying the snowballing criticism of the people and the international community over the political killings, without any serious attempt to identify the perpetrators and the masterminds behind these attacks.

Transmittal of the International Criminal Court Treaty to the Senate

CODAL takes this opportunity to also reiterate its previous call on Pres. Arroyo to immediately transmit the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to the Senate so that the Senate may be able to fulfill its constitutional function of concurring or not concurring with the ratification of that treaty. Since that treaty has been ratified by the Office of the President, when Pres. Joseph Estrada signed it on 28 December 2000, failure to submit it to the Senate will only strengthen the suspicion by the international community that Pres. Arroyo is guilty of human rights violations and is therefore afraid of the ICC.

If Philippine courts are unable or unwilling to prosecute human rights violations, the ICC remains a viable venue for redress by victims of human rights violations, especially now that the impeachment proceeding against Pres. Arroyo for human rights violations has been dismissed by the Justice Committee. Pres. Arroyo’s withholding of the treaty from the Senate is not only a violation of the Constitution but also a violation of our good faith obligation under international law to implement treaties signed or ratified by our Presidents. CODAL urges the international community, including the government of the 100 countries who are members of the ICC, to urge Pres. Arroyo to transmit the treaty for concurrence.

Reference Person:
Atty. Neri Javier Colmenares
August 21, 2006

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