SENATE Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III called on his colleagues to prioritize strengthening the Philippines’ foreign policy and consider rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Let us rejoin the ICC. We should treat this as our insurance policy just in case our democratic system fails us and we get to elect an abusive, tyrannical, heartless leader, and should our justice system fail us too,” Pimentel stressed.
The ICC is a global tribunal that prosecutes individuals for epic offenses such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Pimentel warned that without safeguards like the ICC, the country could face serious challenges if an abusive or tyrannical leader comes into power.
He also proposed other foreign policy reforms to address global shifts in geopolitics.
Among these was his support for increasing the membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
He argued that the UNSC’s current structure is outdated and does not reflect present-day realities.
“The world right now is not in a shortage of actual shooting wars. It is time for the Philippines to be worried about what is happening in the world,” Pimentel said.
“It is also time for our nation to be active on the world stage and try to influence what is happening by supporting, if not initiating, ideas and proposals meant to change the status quo in order to achieve a more democratic, fairer, and just world order,” he added.
The senator also called for exploring alternatives to reliance on the U.S. dollar in international trade.
He suggested that the Philippines consider joining BRICS, the acronym for a bloc of emerging economies comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
Pimentel emphasized that foreign policy is as crucial as domestic policy in ensuring national stability and progress.
“As we approach the conclusion of the 19th Congress, I invite you, my dear colleagues, to take time to think about improving our foreign policy,” he said.