ICC immunity deal with US, GMA’s ‘exchange gift’ to Bush?
by Bayan Muna Partylist
May 29, 2003
BAYAN MUNA party-list representative Satur Ocampo today urged Pres. Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo to reveal to the public “everything that she has
committed” to the United States government in exchange for the country’s
tagging as a “major non-NATO ally” and the billions in military aid
recently pledged by the US.
Ocampo made the appeal amid reports that the Philippines has become
the latest country to sign a bilateral deal with the US exempting American
military personnel from prosecution of the International Criminal Court
(ICC). The signing reportedly took place on May 13or five days before Pres.
Arroyo left for a state visit to the United States from May 18-24.
“Is the waiver still a part of Pres. Arroyo’s commitments in support of
Pres. Bush’s global war on terror? Is this her ‘gift’ to Washington in
exchange for bigger military aid and continued US intervention in
Mindanao?” he asked.
Ocampo believed that the agreement was signed it time for Arroyo’s US
state visit to finally secure an initial $30 million in military aid being
dangled by the Bush government since last year. “If this is so, then why
was the deal signed in secret and Congress not consulted?”
He added: “In the interest of transparency, the President should not only
report the pledges made by the US as a result of her state visit,
especially since those ‘accomplishments’ are all over the news already.
Arroyo should also reveal everything that she has committed to the Bush
government in the name of the Filipino people.”
He pointed out that “agreeing to an immunity deal with the US raises
several policy and legal questions.” For one, he questioned its logic: “How
can you legally exempt US soldiers from the ICC, when you are not yet a
party to it yourself?” The Rome statute has been signed by Pres. Joseph
Estrada, but Pres. Arroyo has refused to transmit it to the Senate for
ratification.
The militant solon added that the deal has grave implications on the
country’s standing in the international community. “Instead of alligning
itself with the 90 countries that have so far ratified the Rome statute to
uphold international justice and human rights, the Philippines has
unashamedly chosen to join those seeking to undermine the ICC’s
authority and protect US interests.”
Another issue, he said, concerns the ongoing Balikatan exercises and the
supposed plan to deploy more American troops to support the anti-terror
campaign of the AFP in Mindanao. “The ICC waiver would practically allow
the GIs to act at will while in Philippine territory, and would render
useless any effort to regulate their actions, such as a terms-of-reference
for the Balikatan exercises.”
At least 34 other countries have so far signed agreements on Article 98
with the US in exchange for the latter’s offer of military aid. This would
prohibit them from turning over US soldiers facing charges at the ICC.
Ocampo is set to deliver a privilege speech on Monday to raise the said
issues. #
