The Supreme Court has consolidated two petitions seeking to void the government’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
With the consolidation, the High Court is set to conduct oral arguments for the petitions on Aug. 7.
The SC also required the counsels for both parties to attend the preliminary conference for the oral argument on July 31.
The first petition for certiorari and mandamus was filed by opposition Senators Francis Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon, Paolo Benigno Aquino, Leila de Lima, Risa Hontiveros, and Antonio Trillanes IV.
The second petition was filed by the Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court led by former Commission on Human Rights chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales.
Last week, de Lima asked the SC to allow her to participate in the oral arguments as lead counsel for the minority senators.
The lawmakers also asked the High Court to compel the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations to notify the UN Secretary General that the Philippines is revoking its notice of withdrawal.
The petitioners said the Rome Statute is a treaty validly entered into by the Philippines that has the same status as a law enacted by Congress.
The petitioners claimed that the respondents committed usurpation of legislative powers, which is punishable under the Revised Penal Code.