Senators failed to appear at debates on ICC petition

MANILA — Minority senators yesterday 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 Senator Leila de Lima “to personally appear and represent herself during the oral arguments through live video and/or audio feed.”

De Lima’s copetitioners, Senators 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.

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

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.”

The senators asked the SC 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.