6 December 2016 - Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) Acting Assistant Secretary (Acting A/Sec) Leo Tito L. Ausan, Jr. delivered on 17 November 2016 the Philippine Statement during the 15th session of the Assembly of the States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) held in The Hague, The Netherlands.
Acting A/Sec Ausan emphasized the Philippines’ commitment to fighting impunity and atrocity crimes, and the need to uphold and defend the integrity of the Rome Statute. Amidst the recent withdrawals of some States Parties from the ICC, he called for “full, sincere and candid dialogue and consultations to address allegations of inequality and unfairness” in the spirit of genuine understanding among States Parties.
Mr. Ausan likewise addressed the 14 October 2016 Statement of the ICC Prosecutor on the Philippines pertaining to the campaign against illegal drugs, stressing that the Philippines does not condone or encourage extrajudicial killings in any form, by anyone. He pointed out that “under the rule of law, the conduct of legitimate police operations against drug offenders who have posed a serious menace to the order of society, does not qualify as mass slaughter or acts against humanity.”
Mr. Ausan further emphasized that the ICC is a court of last resort and that State Parties have the primary jurisdiction to prosecute atrocity crimes. He said that the Philippines has a “functioning criminal justice system, willing and able to prosecute these crimes”, and thus complementarity – a principle upon which the Rome Statute was founded – must be given a chance to work.
The Philippine Statement, as enunciated by Acting A/Sec Ausan, expressed hope for the faithful implementation of the Rome Statute system. END