PGMN Anchor and former Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chief Greco Belgica called on U.S. President Donald J. Trump to step up his efforts against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and dismantle the tribunal before his term ends, warning that he could suffer a fate similar to that of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who remains detained in The Hague.
Belgica made the appeal through an open letter to Trump posted on Facebook, days after the 2026 U.S. midterm elections. He cautioned that the American president’s remaining time in office could prove crucial in determining whether the ICC further expands its reach over countries and leaders that reject its jurisdiction.
“The results of the recent election carry profound implications not only for the future of the United States and the free world, but for your own legacy as well,” Belgica wrote.
He characterized the ICC as an international body lacking accountability that, in his view, has repeatedly sought to exercise authority over nations that do not recognize its jurisdiction.
“We humbly and respectfully urge you to pursue, with renewed resolve, the complete dismantling of the illegitimate, unaccountable authority claimed by the ICC,” Belgica said.
Duterte’s lawyers have challenged the legality of the ICC’s authority over him and the Philippine government’s cooperation in enforcing the warrant, arguing that the country’s 2019 withdrawal from the Rome Statute should limit the court’s reach.
The ICC has taken the opposite position, ruling that it retains jurisdiction over acts committed while the Philippines was still a state party. That interpretation remains at the center of the legal dispute surrounding Duterte’s detention.
Belgica’s letter places Duterte’s case inside a broader criticism of the ICC, portraying the tribunal as a threat to national sovereignty and warning that foreign leaders could eventually face similar proceedings once they leave office.
Trump has already taken a confrontational position toward the court. His administration expanded ICC-related sanctions and rejected the tribunal’s authority over American citizens, while U.S. officials have refused cooperation with proceedings involving Americans.
