Philippines maintains stance against rejoining International Criminal Court

The Palace's statement came after Trump characterized the ICC as "out of control" during his address at the United Nations General Assembly, urging member nations to reconsider their participation in the international judicial body.

Philippines officials said the country's position on ICC membership remained unchanged. The statement underscored that the government would not be swayed by external pressure to alter its current non-membership status with the institution.

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under the previous administration, citing concerns over the court's independence and operations. Since then, successive administrations have maintained that rejoining the organization was not a priority for the country's foreign policy agenda.

Trump's comments at the UN General Assembly marked a significant diplomatic signal, as he pressured existing ICC member states to exit the court, claiming it had exceeded its mandate and acted beyond its proper scope of authority.

The Palace's reaffirmation of the Philippines' non-alignment with the ICC comes as regional nations continue to navigate their individual relationships with the international criminal justice system amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.