PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said his administration does not have the intention to revive the country’s membership with the International Criminal Court (ICC).”The Philippines has no intention of rejoining the ICC,” said Marcos following an event in Pasig City.“Ang sinasabi naman namin, may imbestigasyon naman dito. Patuloy naman and imbestigasyon, bakit magkakaroon ng ganoon… The ICC is a very different kind of a court. Sinabi ko pag-aralan muna ‘yung procedure para tama ‘yung gagawin natin… baka mamisinterpret ‘yung ating ginagawa kaya liwanagin muna natin ang ating gagawin,” he added.Last week, Marcos met with the members of his legal team, including Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, and former presidential spokesperson lawyer Harry Roque.Also present in the meeting was Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo.They discussed the country’s next move on the possible reopening of the ICC probe into the alleged crimes against humanity in the country during the implementation of the drug war under the Duterte administration.Last month, ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan requested for the resumption of the probe into the drug war in the Philippines after the government failed to provide any documentation to substantiate that the investigations are ongoing or complete, nor any details regarding concrete investigative or prosecutorial steps that have been taken.An ICC pre-trial chamber has “invited” the Philippine government to comment on the request until September 8.The ICC probe covers killings committed in the country between July 1, 2016 (when then President Rodrigo Duterte took office) and March 16, 2019, the day top government officials ordered the withdrawal of the country’s membership from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. (SunStar Philippines)