No discussion on ICC during Rubio's meeting with PBBM - Castro

MANILA, Philippines - United States State Secretary Marco Rubio did not discuss with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the Trump administration's campaign against the International Criminal Court (ICC), Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said.Rubio, who paid the President a courtesy call on Wednesday, did not bring up with Marcos the US' plan to 'systematically disable' the ICC by encouraging other countries to withdraw from the Rome Statute.However, Castro said Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez has discussed with the US Department of State the ICC issue.In a press briefing on Thursday, Castro said Romualdez has mentioned to the State Department that the issue related to the ICC and the Philippines is 'a serious matter.''He mentioned about the residual obligation of the Philippines, and the [country's] cooperation with the Interpo,' Castro said in Filipino.'And when we asked from ambassador [Romualdez] about the reaction of the representative of the State Department, he said that they understand this sensitive natter,' she said.Pressed to elaborate, Castro said, 'We all know the issue between the Philippines and the ICC. There are pending cases in the ICC wherein the accused or respondents are Filipinos.'She referred to former president Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa who were facing charges related to crimes against humanity for their involvement in the last administration's blody war on drugs.Duterte had been detained in The Hague, Netherlands following his arrest by the Interpol on March 11, 2025. Dela Rosa had gone hiding since May 14, 2026 after learing that the ICC had ordered his arrest.