Victims’ kin, Church, rights groups hail Du30 arrest
- “A critical step for accountability in the Philippines,” said Human Rights Watch as it hailed the arrest of Duterte. Families who lost loved ones also said they look forward to the arrest of Duterte’s key enforcers.
- The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), for its part, “acknowledged the issuance of an arrest warrant” against Duterte, saying it “had deployed investigators to monitor and assess the developments surrounding this case.”
- The Catholic Church called on the former president to honor his earlier pronouncements that he would submit himself to the rule of law. “For years, former President Duterte has claimed that he is ready to face the consequences of his actions. Now is the time for him to prove it,” said Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo.
The arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday was a cause both to celebrate and relive old pain for the families who lost loved ones during his brutal, six-year war on drugs.
Organized and counseled by the Catholic clergy, they said they would look forward to the arrest of Duterte’s key enforcers of the crackdown who were included in the complaint filed at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“We, the mothers, together with our families who are victims of the war on drugs, will continue to watch over the arrest and imprisonment of Duterte for his crimes against humanity, along with his accomplices in the fake and failed war on drugs,” they said in a statement issued by Rise Up for Life and for Rights.
“We have been waiting for a long time and we really hope that these reports and what we have been reading in the news are true,” said Llore Pasco, a Rise Up member who counts her two sons among the victims of extrajudicial killings linked to the drug war.
CHR: Ensure their safety
Also on Tuesday, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) “acknowledged the issuance of an arrest warrant” against Duterte, saying it “had deployed investigators to monitor and assess the developments surrounding this case.”
“CHR underscores that due process is an integral pillar of justice—one that safeguards not only the rights of the accused but also ensures that the voices of victims are heard. A fair and impartial legal process is essential in uncovering the truth and, ultimately, holding perpetrators accountable, should guilt be established,” it said.
The commission called on concerned agencies to ensure the safety and protection of the victims’ families, especially those who may soon be called to testify against Duterte at the ICC.
The Marcos administration, it said, must “provide an environment where they can freely testify without fear.”
“Creating a safe and secure environment is a crucial step towards breaking the culture of fear and silence, ultimately empowering more families and witnesses to pursue justice,” it added.
“The pursuit of justice cannot be stalled—every delay prolongs the suffering of those left behind. It bears repeating: the truth cannot be silenced. Accountability must prevail over impunity,” it said.
For international watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW), the arrest of Duterte was “a critical step for accountability in the Philippines.”
“Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity in relation to thousands of extrajudicial killings in his ‘war on drugs’ between 2011 and 2019. His arrest could bring victims and their families closer to justice and sends the clear message that no one is above the law,” Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director of HRW, said in a statement.
Another rights watchdog, Karapatan, said President Marcos should “make sure that [Duterte] is actually delivered to the ICC for detention and trial” and ensure that he is convicted by handing over “additional pieces of evidence in the hands of the government.”
Church: Face the music
“[The people are] closely watching the Marcos Jr. regime’s next moves to make sure that Duterte does not receive VIP treatment and is not given the opportunity to escape detention,” it said.
The Catholic Church called on the former president to honor his earlier pronouncements that he would submit himself to the rule of law.
“For years, former President Duterte has claimed that he is ready to face the consequences of his actions. Now is the time for him to prove it,” said Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
“True justice is not about political allegiance or personal loyalty—it is about accountability, transparency and the protection of human dignity. We urge Duterte to uphold his own words and submit himself to the legal process,” he added.
The Church body maintained its longheld position that the drug war killings were “state-sanctioned” and not just the excesses of individual police officers.
“These killings were not random; they were part of a policy that violated the fundamental right to life,” Caritas Philippines vice president and San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said.
“The families of the victims deserve truth, reparations and justice. As a nation, we must ensure that such crimes never happen again,” he added.
Caritas Philippines urged the Marcos administration to cooperate with the ICC, allow an impartial investigation, and ensure that “the Philippines does not remain a country where impunity thrives.”
“If the government has nothing to hide, it has nothing to fear,” it said. “The rule of law must prevail. Justice must be served. Let this be a turning point for our nation—a step toward healing, accountability and real change.”
‘Poetic justice’
Adamson University president Fr. Daniel Franklin Pilario, another supporter of the aggrieved families, called Duterte’s arrest “poetic justice.”
“On this day, with Duterte’s impending imprisonment, the families feel that God is on their side. That He listens to their prayers. That God’s promises are true. Not everything has been served yet, but the law is beginning to seek out the executioners,” Pilario said in a Facebook post.
