A lawmaker is urging the House of Representatives to unequivocally endorse the nomination of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to sit as one of the esteemed judges in the international body.In House Resolution 1737, Rep. Winston Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City) moved for the early approval of the endorsement that also implies full and affirmative ratification of Congress of the Rome Statute, which established the ICC that recognizes the duty of every state to exercise its criminal jurisdiction over persons responsible for international crimes.
Castelo said Defensor-Santiago is the country’s most prized bet to sit as a judge in one of the major international judicial bodies.
"Sen. Defensor-Santiago is highly qualified as she is very much abreast with the rudiments of the law, a veteran senator, member of academe, experienced judge all rolled into one who can champion the cause of the victims of 'core crimes' in a world without borders," Castelo said.
astelo said government agencies like the Departments of Foreign Affairs (DFA), National Defense (DND), Justice (DOJ), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Security Council as well as an NGO called Coalition for the International Criminal Court have duly endorsed the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as the most important institutional innovation since the founding of the United Nations that will have jurisdiction over "core crimes" like genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.
"As such, it behooves upon Congress to ratify said Rome Statute by this instrument," Castelo said.
Castelo said her chances of securing a seat in the ICC are good because there is a certain formula used to assure the presence of female judges there.
According to reports, Santiago would start campaigning this September or October at The Hague in the Netherlands and then in New York.
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