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DFA: Civil society panel finds Miriam fit to be an ICC judge
An independent civil society panel has found Sen. Miriam Santiago “qualified" to be a judge of the International Criminal Court, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Saturday. The DFA cited the report of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) that listed Santiago as one of several candidates qualified for the job. “The finding of the Independent Panel validates the confidence the Philippine Government has placed on the excellent qualifications and outstanding character of our candidate, Professor Dr. Miriam Defensor Santiago," DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario said. “We welcome this very significant finding by the Independent Panel. It reinforces our efforts to be a part of this very important and historic international tribunal," he added. Issued last Oct. 26, the report can be accessed in PDF format through this link. “We see the ICC as playing a significant role in ending impunity, preventing crimes against humanity and in strengthening international peace and security. The Philippines wishes to contribute to the work of the ICC and has launched the candidature of Dr. Santiago with this topmost in our minds," Del Rosario said. The CICC established the Independent Panel on International Criminal Court Judicial Elections in December 2010, to urge state parties to nominate the most qualified candidates for ICC judge. CICC includes 2,500 civil society organizations in 150 countries working in partnership to strengthen international cooperation with the ICC. Members of the Independent Panel includes:
- Justice Richard Goldstone, former Chief Prosecutor of the UN International Criminal Tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia (Chairman);
- Patricia Wald, former Chief Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and former Judge of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia;
- Hans Corell, former Judge of Appeal and former Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and the Legal Counsel of the United Nations;
- Judge O-Gon Kwon, Judge and Vice President of the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and former Presiding Judge at the Daegu High Court; and
- Dr. Cecilia Medina Quiroga, Director of the Human Rights Center at the University of Chile and former Judge and President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
