DFA calls on Senate to ratify Rome Statute By Michaela P. del Callar 03/07/2011

DFA calls on Senate to ratify Rome Statute

By Michaela P. del Callar 03/07/2011

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has called on the Senate yesterday to implement effective measures to promote human rights by immediately ratifying the Rome Statute, which established an international tribunal that prosecutes war crimes and other crimes against humanity.

President Aquino, who touts himself as a strong advocate of human rights, signed and endorsed the statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Feb. 28 to the Senate, a move which his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, failed to do in her nine-year presidency.

Manila became a signatory to the agreement in Dec. 28, 2000. Since then, 108 countries have already ratified the treaty.

The Philippine military and police have expressed reservations to the statute’s ratification, saying leftist groups may take advantage of the agreement and file frivolous and politically motivated cases against them. The international community led by the United Nations and European Union have scored the Philippines’ dismal human rights record due to continuing incidents of extra-judicial killings of members of militant groups..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110307nat1.html