Dozens of Filipino human rights activists marched near the Malacañang Palace in Manila on Monday, March 17, to urge the Philippine government to rejoin to the International Criminal Court (ICC), following former president Rodrigo Duterte's trial in The Hague.
The Philippines was a member of the ICC from 2011 until 2019 when it officially withdrew its membership. Under the court's founding 1998 Rome Statute, even if a state withdraws as a member, it retains jurisdiction over crimes within its jurisdiction committed during the membership period. Last Friday (March 14), Duterte made his first appearance via video link before the ICC where he was facing murder allegations from his "war on drugs" campaign which killed thousands in the Philippines during his term as president. REUTERS VIDEO