MANILA -- Dozens of Filipino human rights activists marched near the Presidential Palace in Manila on Monday (March 17) to urge the Philippine government to rejoin to the International Criminal Court (ICC), following former president Rodrigo Duterte's trial in The Hague.

The Philippines was a member of the ICC from 2011 until 2019 when it officially withdrew its membership. Under the court's founding 1998 Rome Statute, even if a state withdraws as a member, it retains jurisdiction over crimes within its jurisdiction committed during the membership period.

Last Friday (March 14), Duterte made his first appearance via video link before the ICC where he was facing murder allegations from his "war on drugs" campaign which killed thousands in the Philippines during his term as president.

Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, is set to be the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the ICC, a court of last resort created more than two decades ago to prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, aggression and genocide.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it has monitored at least 58 rallies, attended by approximately 49,000 individuals, in relation to the pre-trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte before the International Criminal Court.

Colonel Randulf Tuaño, Chief of the PNP Public Information Office, said most of the rallies took place in Davao City, Duterte's home province, where demonstrators mostly expressed their support for the embattled former president.

“Umaabot lang po ng mga isang oras, dalawang oras, nagdi-disperse naman po peacefully ‘yong mga taong nakikilahok sa mga rally [kapag natapos],” he said. 

(Most rallies lasted only about one to two hours, and participants dispersed peacefully after the events concluded.)

Authorities continue to monitor the situation, while security measures are in place to ensure peace and order.  Heightened alert status, which was imposed on March 11 following Duterte’s arrest, has already been lifted, and there are no plans to raise it again for now Tuaño added.

Senate President Francis Escudero meanwhile urged the supporters of the former president to keep their rallies peaceful and orderly, even as he stressed that they have the right to protest.

"Karapatan ng ating mga kababayan na magpetition sa gubyerno kaugnay ng sala ng loob nila sa pamahalaan. Karapatan nila yun na ginagarantiyahan ng saligang batas at para sa akin marapat lamang na payagan at pahintulutan yun na sinabi naman ng gobyerno na papayagan at papahintulutan nila dahil saklaw yun ng Bill of Rights na ginagarantihan ang ating saligang batas basta t mapayapa yung mga pagtitipon na yun," Escudero said Monday.

He also urged candidates not to use the issue in their campaigns as it may further divide the country.

The Senate chief also admits to having mixed emotions over recent events.

"Tulad ng marami sa atin, yung mga kaganapan itong nakaraang araw ay nagbigay sa akin ng halo-halong pakiramdam. Halong lungkot, inis, pagkadismaya, galit, pagkalito at nagbunga din ng maraming mga katanungan na sinikap kong sagutin sa pamamagitan ng pagsisiyasat at gayon din pagbabasa," Escudero said. 

"Dahil para sa akin, importante na mabigyang linaw ang ilan sa mga isyu at mga kaganapang pwede pang mangyari sa mga susunod na araw upang walang duda, hindi mag-alang-alang ang ating mga kababayan kaugnay sa mga mangyayari sa susunod na buwan." -- with a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

(Production: Artorn Pookasook, Peter Blaza, with additional report by Michael Joe Delizo)