Makabayan: ‘Duterte’s arrest crucial step towards justice’

LAST-MINUTE LECTURE Set to be flown to The Hague, former President Rodrigo Duterte tries to explain to officers who arrested him that after the Philippines withdrew from the International Criminal Court, the tribunal no longer had jurisdiction over the country and its arrest warrant against him was illegal. Pictures of some of the victims of his “drug war” offer grim reminders of the charges he faces. —VERONICA DUTERTE/INSTAGRAM

Makabayan bloc lawmakers on Tuesday lauded former President Duterte’s arrest as a crucial step towards justice for the thousands of victims of his bloody drug war and a historic moment for human rights in the Philippines, with a former congressman expressing hope that Vice President Sara Duterte would be arrested next.

Gabriela women’s Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas called on the Marcos administration not only to ensure that the former President does not evade justice, but to ensure that victims’ families can safely participate in the proceedings of the International Criminal Court.

In a statement, Brosas said that Duterte’s arrest “offers a glimpse of hope for the families who, until now, continue to search for the justice that has remained so elusive.”

She brought up the deaths of thousands of Filipinos, including children as young as three, who were either directly targeted or caught in the crossfire of Duterte’s drug war, which allegedly focused on the country’s poor people.

“While it cannot bring back the lives lost, Duterte’s arrest is a step toward holding him accountable for the countless human rights abuses committed under his term,” she said, adding that the Marcos administration should make sure the former President faces the ICC and witnesses against him are given ample protection.

The lawmaker asked Duterte, during a House of Representatives Quad Committee hearing in November last year, if he was ready to face the ICC, to which the former President replied he was eagerly looking forward to it and even asked the ICC to “hurry up.”

State-sanctioned violence

For Gabriela’s first nominee, Sarah Elago maintained that Duterte’s arrest “validates what we have been saying all along – that Duterte’s so-called ‘war on drugs’ was nothing but state-sanctioned violence that targeted the poor and marginalized.”

Elago also cited Duterte’s attacks on women human rights defenders and his administration’s role in the illegal detention of political prisoners, saying, “Duterte’s misogynistic and violent rhetoric translated into concrete policies that suppressed women’s rights and targeted women human rights defenders.”

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“(Duterte) has committed grave sins against women which he must face,” she stressed in Filipino, calling on Filipinos to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice and accountability.

Meanwhile, former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares said, “For years, we have been calling for this moment—for Duterte to face the courts and answer his crimes. This is not about political vendetta but about justice. The families of EJK victims have waited far too long for this day to come.”

“We must ensure that the justice process will be fair and comprehensive. Not only should Duterte be held accountable, but also all the architects and implementers of this bloody policy,” he emphasized, calling on the administration to protect witnesses and evidence crucial in prosecuting cases against the former President.

Colmenares noted, “This is a historic moment for human rights in the Philippines. After years of impunity, we are finally seeing concrete steps toward accountability. The road to full justice is still long, but this arrest is a significant milestone that gives hope to the thousands of families who lost their loved ones.”