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MANILA - There is "no reason" for the Supreme Court, even under a new leader, to deny a petition to prevent the Philippines' exit from the International Criminal Court, a former government official who lobbied for the country's inclusion in the tribunal said Tuesday.

The Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday oral arguments on the Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court's petition questioning the country's withdrawal of its approval of the Rome Statute, which created the ICC.

It will be first oral arguments at the SC under new Chief Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, whom President Rodrigo Duterte appointed last week.

"Whoever the chief justice is, if the chief justice will look into the validity of our arguments, there is really no reason why the chief justice should not look favorably into our petition," said former Commission on Human Rights chairperson and former PCICC co-chair Etta Rosales.

Duterte last March ordered the country's withdrawal from the ICC after the tribunal announced that it would initiate a preliminary examination into charges of mass murder against him in connection with his war against drugs.

Rosales said the executive branch could not unilaterally withdraw from the Rome Statute, and that pulling out from the treaty needed the Senate's concurrence via a two-thirds vote.

"When Duterte wanted to withdraw, he should have consulted the Senate. The Senate should've started hearings. You and I should have been able to attend the hearings," she said.