MANILA — Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Friday said the Philippines rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC) needs “serious study."

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“Our direction as a country is very important before we jump into anything. Kaya itong topic na ito, really requires serious study. Hindi dito pwede padalos-dalos. O sige, magpa-member tayo bukas. O sige, atras tayo pagkatapos. Yun ating pagka-bansa ay magkakaroon ng bahid kung paganun-ganun tayo. So it really requires serious study,” he said in a press conference.

Remulla made the remark following a statement by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. that the Philippine government is now looking at a possible return to the international tribunal.

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“Ito talaga ang dapat pag-aaralan natin bago tumalon. Di pwede tayo talon nang talon. Pag may sisigaw, tatalon tayo. Hindi po tayo ganun e. In our country, we have to put up our direction, our image, our identity seriously. Di tayo pwede patalon-talon lang na padalos-dalos. Hindi pagkat sinabi ng ating mga kongresista sa kanilang resolusyon na dapat tayong kumilos sa isang direksyon ay nangangahulugan yan na ang gagawin natin. Dapat pag-aralan talaga yan,” he added.

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Asked if the Philippine government is taking steps in case it decides to cooperate with the ICC, Remulla said that possibility is still remote at this point.

“Wala pa ngang usapan e, wala namang usapin pa e. Malayo pa tayo dun, malayo pa sa bituka. Ika nga, we live by the day . Kasi, sabi ko nga ano, 2019 nakaalis tayo sa ICC. Apat na taon na. Bakit bigla tayo babalik? Pwede ba yung babalik tayo nang bigla-bigla…Hindi. Pag-aralan natin to bilang isang bansa. We are better than that who just jump into a fray just because someone said we should. We have to study it,” he said.

Remulla also refuted claims that the Supreme Court, in Pangilinan vs. Cayetano, said the Philippine government has the duty to continue cooperating with the ICC.

The ruling junked petitions questioning then-President Rodrigo Duterte’s unilateral withdrawal from the ICC on procedural grounds.

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“Ang tawag naming mga abogado doon obiter dictum. Ibig sabihin, it’s a narration of thoughts of the ponente which does not amount to a decision. Ibig sabihin, it does not affect us in any way, mga pinagsasabi ng ating ponente sa kasong iyon. Ibig sabihin, hindi yun kasama sa batas natin. Kaya pag sinabi niya na saklaw tayo sa panahong iyon ay hindi po yun ang desisyon ng korte,” he said.

The ICC is investigating deaths in the country in connection with the drug war and by the so-called Davao Death Squad.