ICC, WPS, politics and irony

By Reni M. Valenzuela

Politics tends to politicize issues when the tide goes against it.

It is uncalled for and unfair for former president Rodrigo Duterte to be defended by his friends at this juncture from whatever they are defending him because the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a court is not accusing him of any wrongdoing. They are just investigating. Who is biased?

These “friends” are not doing any favor to their friend.  On the contrary, they are in effect pinning him down without due process and they are giving the world or ICC more reason to insist on its independent probe. What’s the legal basis to automatically and immediately link the Court’s future verdict to Mr. Duterte?

Make our courts or justice system function right, unprejudiced and with dispatch in doing its own probe of the drug war. That’s their best defense. And in that case, the ICC has no reason to step in. It is not enough that we have a functioning justice system.  Let it function well, untouched, untainted and unadulterated by politics (and money).

National interest is no personal matter for any government official.

Some authorities (past and present) have suddenly become concerned about protecting our nation’s “sovereignty,” but from the ICC.  And it is ironic that the same people are deafeningly silent about China’s intrusion into the West Philippine Sea, with China occupying our very territory and trampling upon our sovereignty in broad daylight.

The pronouncement lately by President Bongbong Marcos regarding the ICC’s ongoing probe into the country’s bloody drug war is incongruous, baffling to say the least. He said, “There are many questions about their jurisdiction and what we in the Philippines regard as an intrusion into our internal matters and a threat to our sovereignty. We do not need assistance from outside entity. The Philippines is a sovereign nation…”  With due respect, Mr. President, from who’s script is that?

Is BBM aware that he is sending a wrong message to the world?  It’s like him telling everyone we don’t need EDCA and we don’t need the U.S. and other nations to resolve our maritime issue with China. Worse, it is equal to calling “garbage” the arbitration of the International Tribunal which validated our claim over the West Philippine Sea – because we can manage ourselves and we protect our “sovereignty.” Ponder that, your honor, way beyond influential/political voices that negate prudence and aim to cloud your right thinking toward making the right decision, with open eyes.

Walang personalan, katarungan at kaunlaran lang.

The ICC’s probe is not just about justice for the past victims of extrajudicial killing, but also about protecting the would be victims (not would be victimizers) in the future or generations to come – whether it is in regard to drug war, gambling war, human trafficking war, smuggling war, onion war, rice war, sugar war, inflation war, economic war or corruption war, etcetera. “Jurisdiction” is not an issue here for correct thinking humans, and for Heaven.

Filipinos can see no problem with the ICC coming into the picture except the problem of politics. The chances given to our government to do its job on the matter was more than enough. Seven years had passed (since 2016) and there’s no headway or significant headway in the “probe” – until now. Tens of thousands were killed but only less than a hundred of them are thus far being investigated, lackluster and dreary. The ICC deems there’s no genuine, serious, earnest and resolute effort on the part of the Philippine government to do its own probe. Proverbs 21:15, Job 12:22, Ecclesiastes 3:17.

We should appreciate ICC’s help as much as we covet the international community’s help in our maritime issue with China. Paradox.

Our government has apparently been at war with itself.  Beat politics (with all the evils that go with it) and so beat everything that impedes justice, peace, stability, upright/wise governance and progress. Build a just and humane society. That’s your first and foremost order of battle, dear leaders of the nation.

Cherish life.