Senator Santiago Elected First ICC Judge from Developing Nation

MANILA

SENATOR MIRIAM Santiago has a lot of tricks on her sleeves to stop bringing surprises to the Filipino people. This time she aced contenders for a Judge seat in the International Criminal Court (ICC), making her the first woman judge for ICC who came from a developing nation in Asia.

On 12 December 2011, the ICC overwhelmingly elected Santiaugo in New York as a new Judge for the international court, topping the first round of elections with 79 votes out of 104 valid votes. She bested other 18 candidates from various regions.

Sources

[InterAksyon]

The ICC Rome Statute Ratified

MANILA

The Senate ratified on 24 August 2011 (Thursday) the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) 13 years after the Philippines helped draft the treaty in 1988 during the administration of late president Corazon Aquino. The ICC is a permanent tribunal created on 2 July 2002 to prosecute individuals for genocide, crime against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression.

Under the treaty, the ICC can step in when countries are unwilling or unable to dispense justice for the crimes it covers.

“If a state becomes a party to the Rome Statute," Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago said, "any past leader could be investigated and prosecuted if he committed a core crime, particularly if he is the head of state, member of the national legislature, or government official at a similarly high level.” She said that the Rome Statute was the most important innovation since the founding of the United Nations.

For the provisions in the Rome Statute, click here.