ICC’s Judge O-Gon Kwon (Photo: arirang) Hanoi (VNA) – The International Criminal Court (ICC)’s Judge O-Gon Kwon on March 16 expressed his regret at the Philippines’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute on the establishment of the ICC, warning that it would negatively impacts on the court’s efforts towards punishing crimes.
He called on the Philippines to reconsider its decision and stay in the ICC and talk about the differences in stead of leaving it.
The Philippines’s withdrawal will impact the efforts of the ICC to punish war criminals and crimes against humanity, the judge stressed.
Previously the same day, the Philippine authority sent a notice to the Secretary General of the United Nations, saying that the country has decided to leave the ICC.
Philippine permanent representative to the UN Teodoro Locsin Jr. said in the notice dated March 15, 2018 that the country is committed to fighting against violent criminals in spite of its withdrawal.
The decision to pull the Philippines out of the court is a principled stand against those who politicize and weaponize human rights, the Philippine Government underlined.
On March 14, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute on establishing the ICC.
Since he took office, the Philippine President has launched large-scale raids on drug criminals to ensure social order. The Philippine law enforcement forces have killed nearly 4,000 suspects during the raids. –VNA
VNA
