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MANILA, Philippines — Human rights and international law experts said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lacked a concrete human rights agenda in his fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona), which they said could have touched on the continuing attacks on civil society, red-tagging, and rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Lawyer Romel Bagares, also a lecturer in international law, told the Inquirer the President had “no clear policy statement on human rights,” as he has yet to “make a clear stance” that it does not want to take part in the continuing violations such as red-tagging.
Bagares also noted that the Marcos administration has yet to send “a more solid message” to the international community that it is serious about its obligations and that it recognizes international justice, despite facilitating the arrest last year of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“And we can do that by saying we want to be part of the ICC,” he said in an interview.
