Malacañang stated on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has not yet considered rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC), but the administration clarified that it has not completely closed the door for future discussions on possible membership in the Rome Statute.
According to Palace Press Officer Claire Castro, the president's latest position remains unchanged, although it could still be studied in the coming days.
"His last statement was that he will not rejoin yet. So, if it needs to be studied in the coming days, the President is not closing the door on that," Castro said.
The Philippines formally withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019 under former President Rodrigo Duterte after the ICC initiated a preliminary examination into his administration's war on drugs.
The issue resurfaced amid discussions about the possible implementation of the ICC arrest warrant against Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, who served as Philippine National Police chief during Duterte's drug war.
Castro explained that even though the Philippines no longer recognizes ICC jurisdiction as a member state, the government continues to act under Republic Act 9851, or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity. He said the law provides mechanisms for surrender or extradition related to international tribunals. Castro added that Marcos's standing order to law enforcement agencies is to follow existing laws.
