Philippines Withdraws from the ICC

Woke up today to the news that the Philippines is finally pulling out of the ICC.

The mainstream media, as expected, started looking into the legitimacy of the act while taking the opportunity to once again throw the EJK trash in the equation, still hoping that the shit would stick somewhere, somehow. It's already been 19 months that they have been trying the same approach, with some help from their friends - the political minority, the human rights groups, the UN HR, and lately, the ICC.

To this day, I can't really understand whether it's the local actors using the international, or it is the other way around, to undermine our government. Whatever the case may be, one thing is getting clearer by the day - they are willing to sacrifice all the progress we seem to have made in the past 19 months for whatever they would gain from Duterte's downfall.

Duterte is not perfect and he does not claim to be. And yes, he may be very crass in many ways, especially with his filthy mouth, but his actions show an undying love and care for the common Filipino. Of all past chief executives that sat foot on Malacañang, he is the only one who has wielded such passion to better us as a nation.

The man is old, tired and weary. He could have chosen to retire peacefully and enjoy what remains of his days. Instead, he chose to work, wake up everyday and serve the people that, through his actions prove, he deeply cares for. What does he get from it? Nothing but crap and disrespect. Then the ICC came along and even threatens to take away from the man what's left of his days, using unfounded accusations from the shit that's thrown at him by the very people he tries to serve. Any man would, at some point, say enough is enough. I'm glad today he finally did.

In the bigger scheme of things, the ICC losing us won't even leave a dent to the establishment. We will just be replaced by the next nation that gains their favor. However, for a Filipino who is tired of being at the receiving end of repressive policies, conditional aids, and disrespectful treatment just to belong to these "esteemed" international organizations, this parting of ways means a lot. It represents true freedom where one is no longer scared to do things or say words that are not approved by or in line with these international organizations' policies or beliefs.

I wonder what's next in the pipeline... UN perhaps? For now, I'll eagerly wait to see the official letter formally pulling us out from the ICC.

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