Geopolitics has this uncanny way of turning the tables at the flick of a switch.
I already smelled this would happen. The United States does not particularly like the International Criminal Court which is based in The Hague. Yes, the same ICC that summoned former President Rodrigo Duterte before its chambers, to be tried for alleged crimes against humanity, like mass killings.
In Washington a couple of weeks ago, US President Donald Trump had earlier frozen the credit cards of ICC judges, prosecutors and personnel; banned them from entering the US, etc.
This American hatred of the court emanates from its insistence on investigating human rights abuses of American troops in Afghanistan, and lately its effort to prosecute Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu for the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The ICC also intends to probe the bombing and massacre of some 68 children, teachers and first responders in Minab, Iran on the first day of the war. Trump at first denied that it was an American bomb, that Iran’s inefficiency was so low that they bombed themselves—with a Tomahawk missile at that! Stupid Donald.
Now that the ICC is going after Trump and Netanyahu, Rubio is urging US allies to dismantle the ICC.
This is bad news for Marcos, the mastermind of full collusion with the ICC in arresting and giving Rodrigo Duterte to face charges, despite the fact that the PHL is no longer an ICC member. For shame, Bongbong.
Rubio is ranting again. The second most powerful man in the US vowed to “dismantle” the ICC and urged other countries to join the effort as the Trump administration significantly escalates its campaign against the global institution.
Rubio accused the ICC of “waging a war against our country, not with bullets or missiles,” but with “the force of so-called international law.”
The US now seeks to pressure countries around the world to join and threatens potential cuts to US assistance for those who don’t.
“Nations that refuse to reject the ICC’s false authority while relying on US assistance are likely to come under increased scrutiny,” a State Department official said.
“Using all the tools at our government’s disposal, working beside every ally with whom we can make common cause, we will dismantle the ICC—brick by brick, if necessary,” Rubio wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Monday. Those tools include possible travel bans, visa revocations, and increased sanctions, the State Department official said.
The official said that countries “that partner with US law enforcement, host a US military presence, or benefit from the broader US security umbrella are being called upon to reject the ICC’s purported authority to prosecute American officials and servicemen,” the official said.
Hala! Bongbong hosts nine American military bases under EDCA, and benefits from the so-called US security umbrella. Lagot na! And Marco Rubio is coming to the Philippines this week for the ASEAN Summit. Go ahead Rubio, sanction BBM.
Nasira ang yabang ni Claire Castro when she said we do not control the policy of the US government. The next day, the Palace announced that they are rethinking PHL position on the ICC. Haha!
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