PBBM and the ICC: Honeymoon Over? A Summary of the Commentary by Deus Rex Juricsiel
PBBM and the ICC: Honeymoon Over? A Summary of the Commentary by Deus Rex Juricsiel
Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™
July 27, 2026
The Facebook post by Deus Rex Juricsiel, dated the previous day at 1:33 PM, presents a sharply critical analysis of the shifting dynamics between Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (PBBM), the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the United States under President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Framed around the provocative headline “PBBM AND ICC HONEYMOON OVER?”, the commentary argues that the earlier alignment between Malacañang and the ICC—once portrayed as a partnership delivering justice—is rapidly unraveling under the weight of a newly assertive American policy. The author portrays this as a forced and painful choice for PBBM, one that exposes the limits of Philippine autonomy and the costs of earlier strategic decisions.
The piece opens by recounting the initial phase of cooperation. Despite earlier claims that the Marcos administration would not engage with the ICC, the government reversed course: confirmation hearings moved forward, former soldiers linked to the Duterte era were exposed, and the process culminated in the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte. With Duterte detained in The Hague, PBBM and his allies were depicted as celebrating a victory that removed a major political rival while burnishing an image of accountability. The author labels this a “premature celebration,” arguing that the ICC had become a convenient “Swiss knife” for neutralizing critics such as Senator Bato dela Rosa and others who could be linked, however tenuously, to the court.
That celebration was interrupted when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly described the ICC as “a stupid organization run by lunatics and crazies.” The U.S. government, according to the post, launched a broader campaign to dismantle the court and warned of “increased scrutiny” of nations that continue to support it while relying on American assistance. Undersecretary Claire Castro initially dismissed the significance of Rubio’s remarks, stating, “Hindi sakop ng ating gobyerno ang polisiya ng bansang US” (“The policy of the United States is not under the jurisdiction of our government”). The author treats this response as either naïve or deliberately nonchalant, arguing that it revealed an inability—or unwillingness—to grasp the implications of a major power declaring open hostility toward the ICC.
Within a short time, Malacañang began to backpedal. Officials announced that the government was “reviewing its policy” on cooperation with the ICC. The author interprets this as a tacit admission that the Philippines cannot afford to defy Washington. Castro’s later claim that the United States “understands” the Philippines’ residual obligations to the ICC, and that the court was not even discussed during Rubio’s courtesy call on PBBM, is portrayed as contradictory and unconvincing. The post notes that it was Philippine Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez who raised the issue, further complicating the official narrative of distance and independence.
The commentary sharpens its critique by linking the diplomatic friction to concrete economic pressure. A day after Castro downplayed Rubio’s statements, President Trump announced an additional 12.5 percent tariff on the Philippines. The author presents this as no coincidence, suggesting it was a deliberate signal that there is “no room for negotiations.” Ordinary Filipinos, the post argues, are once again made to bear the cost of PBBM’s earlier decisions. Rubio’s warning of heightened scrutiny for nations that reject the ICC’s “false authority” while depending on U.S. support is treated as far from optional; the claim that residual obligations somehow exempt the Philippines is dismissed as wishful thinking.
At the heart of the analysis lies a stark dilemma for Marcos. Continuing full cooperation with the ICC would amount to “spitting on Rubio’s declaration” and risk further American retaliation. Dropping the ICC, however, would mean relinquishing a useful instrument against domestic opponents and could invite further arrests that might expose “PBBM’s hand right inside the ICC cookie jar.” The author contends that PBBM cannot simply walk away from an institution he chose to engage, nor can he ignore the explicit demands of the United States. The result is an impasse that forces a choice between the ICC partnership and placating Washington—a choice the post insists the United States will not allow to be resolved by a polite “no.”
The broader judgment is unsparing. The ICC is described, in Rubio’s own words, as an organization that has “outlived its purpose or its pretensions to such.” Castro’s assertion of equal footing between nations is rejected as living in a world of “make believe”; in reality, the Philippines remains heavily dependent on the United States and cannot afford to say no. The “honeymoon” with the ICC is therefore ending not because of any sudden moral awakening, but because American policy has made continued collaboration costly and politically untenable. More developments are expected, the author warns, and Filipinos should brace for further reversals. In the author’s view, the United States has already “nailed the final coffin to the ICC,” and PBBM must now decide whether to end the relationship or continue risking American displeasure—knowing that Washington does not take “no” for an answer.
In sum, the post constructs a narrative of strategic miscalculation followed by forced retreat. What began as a calculated use of international institutions to manage domestic politics has collided with a hard-power American realignment. The result, according to Deus Rex Juricsiel, is that President Marcos finds himself constrained on both sides: unable to fully abandon the ICC without domestic political cost, and unable to retain it without inviting economic and diplomatic pressure from the United States. The “honeymoon” is over, and the choices that remain are painful ones.
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Amiel Gerald A. Roldan™' s connection to the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) serves as a defining pillar of his professional journey, most recently celebrated through the launch of the ACC Global Alumni Network.As a 2003 Starr Foundation Grantee, Roldan participated in a transformative ten-month fellowship in the United States. This opportunity allowed him to observe contemporary art movements, engage with an international community of artists and curators, and develop a new body of work that bridges local and global perspectives.Featured Work: Bridges Beyond Borders His featured work, Bridges Beyond Borders: ACC's Global Cultural Collaboration, has been chosen as the visual identity for the newly launched ACC Global Alumni Network.Symbol of Connection: The piece represents a private collaborative space designed to unite over 6,000 ACC alumni across various disciplines and regions.Artistic Vision: The work embodies the ACC's core mission of advancing international dialogue and cultural exchange to foster a more harmonious world.Legacy of Excellence: By serving as the face of this initiative, Roldan's art highlights the enduring impact of the ACC fellowship on his career and his role in the global artistic community.Just featured at https://www.pressenza.com/2026/01/the-asian-cultural-council-global-alumni-network-amiel-gerald-a-roldan/
He is a Filipino multidisciplinary visual artist, printmaker, painter, independent curator, researcher, writer, and cultural worker whose practice spans contemporary art, curatorial work, and cultural advocacy. He has been active in the Philippine art scene since the late 1990s and has worked with galleries, museums, artist-run spaces, and international cultural organizations.
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A multidisciplinary Filipino artist, poet, researcher, and cultural worker whose practice spans painting, printmaking, photography, installation, and writing. He is deeply rooted in cultural memory, postcolonial critique, and in bridging creative practice with scholarly infrastructure—building counter-archives, annotating speculative poetry like Southeast Asian manuscripts, and fostering regional solidarity through ethical art collaboration.
He has been active in the Philippine art scene since the late 1990s and has worked with galleries, museums, artist-run spaces, and international cultural organizations.His practice appears to represent several interconnected concerns:
Cultural work as artistic practice. Roldan has argued that the labor of curating, organizing exhibitions, teaching, documentation, and cultural administration should be understood as creative work rather than merely support work. This perspective has been reflected in his writings and exhibitions.
Social and political engagement. His artworks frequently address politics, religion, faith, denial, courage, social inequality, and the everyday experiences of Filipinos. He has stated that he draws inspiration from Filipino cultural practices while approaching painting, printmaking, and installation from a conceptual perspective.Printmaking and conceptual art. Roldan is particularly recognized for his printmaking, with works shown internationally, including exhibitions in Japan and France. His practice also encompasses painting, photography, installation, and curatorial research.International cultural exchange. A significant milestone in his career was receiving an Asian Cultural Council fellowship in 2003, which enabled him to undertake research and create work in the United States while engaging with artists and curators internationally.
More broadly, Roldan's work represents an attempt to bridge artistic production, curatorial practice, scholarship, and cultural activism . His writings often emphasize postcolonial discourse, cultural memory, and the ethics of artistic collaboration, positioning the artist not only as a maker of objects but also as a builder of cultural infrastructure.
In the Philippine contemporary art context, he can be understood as representing the figure of the artist-curator-cultural worker —someone who contributes both through making artworks and through developing exhibitions, mentoring artists, and fostering institutional and independent cultural initiatives.
Recent show at ILOMOCA
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