Senators failed to appear at debates on ICC petition

MANILA, Philippines — Minority senators on Tuesday failed to appear before the Supreme Court oral arguments on their petition challenging the government’s withdrawal of membership from the International Criminal Court.

Lawyer Anna Marie Corominas, a representative from the minority senators, asked the SC en banc for clarification on the lawmakers’ petition to allow Sen. Leila de Lima “to personally appear and represent herself during the oral arguments through live video and/or audio feed.”

De Lima’s co-petitioners, Sens. Francis Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, Risa Hontiveros and Antonio Trillanes IV, asked the SC to allow De Lima to represent them in the debates. They said that their arguments “will be best presented before [the] Honorable Court” by De Lima, who is being detained at the police’s headquarters in Quezon City over drug charges filed by the Department of Justice.

Chief Justice Teresita De Castro clarified that the petition of the lawmakers was denied, as well as De Lima's.

Last week, the court denied with finality De Lima’s plea to be allowed to participate in the oral arguments. The SC said that the senator’s motion for reconsideration did not present new arguments to support her case.

It noted that the oral arguments will proceed on August 28, 2:00 p.m. as scheduled.

Corominas said that, following the dismissal, the lawmakers “respectfully move that they be given until the next session of the oral arguments within which to decide an appropriate course of action on the issue of their representation in these proceedings.”

“Petitioner-senators reserve the right to submit any pleadings or motions in response to any question or matter raised in these proceedings in relation to the above-manifestation,” she added.

De Castro replied that the court notes their manifestation and it will issue a resolution on the petitioners’ request. 

The minority senators asked the tribunal to declare as “invalid or ineffective” the country’s withdrawal as a state party to the Rome Statue for lack of concurrence of the Senate.

Although Senate concurrence is needed in the ratification of treaties, the Palace has argued that withdrawing from them is within the president’s prerogative.

The oral arguments on the petitions are ongoing as of this story’s posting.

SOURCE: Philippine Star

Special thanks to: