- Nineteen prisoners use cutlery to break out of cells at Winchester prison
- France wants progress in Ukraine before Russia returns to G7
- Italy president begins talks to seek way out of government crisis
- Italian PM expected to resign as political chaos deepens
- Russia says US cruise missile test ‘regrettable’
- Kremlin - No date set for Normandy talks on Ukraine despite Macron meeting
- Egypt court hands out 6 death sentences on terror charges
- Putin says Russian nuclear explosion poses no threat
- Russian panel eyes alleged foreign interference in protests
- Gran Canaria wildfire triggers evacuation of thousands of people
- PM Johnson calls on Germany and France to compromise on Brexit
- Sudan's ex-president Bashir arrives at corruption trial
TEHRAN, May 16 - A minority bloc in the Philippine Senate on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to invalidate President Rodrigo Duterte's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, saying his action without the chamber's consent was unconstitutional.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Duterte issued a notice of withdrawal in March, saying his right to due process had been violated after an ICC prosecutor announced a preliminary examination of a complaint that accused the president and top officials of crimes against humanity.
But six minority members of the Senate, from among a total of 23, said Duterte would need the backing of two-thirds of upper house members to get his way.
"The executive cannot unilaterally withdraw from a treaty or international agreement, because such withdrawal is equivalent to a repeal of a law," the senators told the Supreme Court.
Duterte's spokesman, Harry Roque, said he was confident the Supreme Court would throw out the petition.
"Good luck to them," he said. "The courts will always defer to the executive on matters of foreign affairs."
The complaint to the ICC, filed by a Philippine lawyer and endorsed by a congressman and a senator, concerns the deaths of thousands of Filipinos in Duterte's signature crackdown on illegal drugs. Duterte denies any wrongdoing.
Source: Press TV
Your Comment