MANILA — The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has formally requested the Supreme Court (SC) to allow it to represent government officials named in the consolidated petitions filed last March by lawyers of former president Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Ronaldo dela Rosa, which challenge the Philippines’ cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In a manifestation dated December 1, Solicitor General Darlene Berberabe said the OSG is retracting its earlier motion to inhibit from the case filed during the tenure of her predecessor, former Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra.

“After due consideration, the OSG hereby enters its appearance anew as counsel for all the respondents in the case,” Berberabe said.

The petitions filed by Duterte’s camp sought to declare as unconstitutional the country’s cooperation with the ICC, arguing that the court’s claim of jurisdiction violates the sovereign prerogatives of the Philippines.

Previously, Guevarra had maintained that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines following the country’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) later took over the handling of the Supreme Court case after Guevarra recused himself, asserting that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., in extending assistance to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), is “merely complying with its international obligations and performing his role as the chief architect of the country’s foreign policy.” (PNA)