Actions have consequences
Former president Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested and handed over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands to face trial for crimes against humanity. Not just a pivotal moment in our country’s history, this is also a test if international cooperation can still work toward peace and justice. As international systems are increasingly threatened and weakened by authoritarian governments, with numerous powers blatantly ignoring international calls for ceasefire and protection of humanitarian services, we shall see if the ICC will stand as a beacon of hope that the world still cares about human rights.
At the home front, the scene is explosive: arrest at the airport, weeping supporters (including candidates hoping to benefit from the former president’s endorsement), and the former president’s daughter’s pleas on social media. In the meantime, a café run by family members whose loved ones were killed during the war on drugs celebrates as their long-desired justice— something that local courts have failed to deliver—is finally realized.
We are so used to powerful people behaving with impunity in this country, so much so that we can’t imagine any of them having to face significant consequences. One of the most powerful and influential leaders of our time, the former president, brazenly admitted to his crimes during congressional hearings and publicly dared the current government to let the ICC in. And now we see, with all the scrambling that his supporters are doing to prevent the arrest, that he was merely bluffing. He was unrepentant and indiscreet in his confessions—because he thought he was too powerful to be held accountable. And yet here we are.
This time, we get to teach our children something new: actions have consequences. We can be held accountable for our misdeeds, especially when they cause harm to others. We can teach our children that there are systems in place, in the Philippines and in the world, that will help us pursue justice.
Another lesson we learned today, thanks to the ICC, is that human lives matter. We do not take the taking of lives lightly. No life is dispensable or inconsequential. We do not see an official death toll of 6,000 (20,000 according to human rights groups) and simply shrug “Oh well.” We do not judge the worth of a human life based on their achievement, status, or even behavior. Some are selective as to who would be deserving of human rights or even the right to life. Duterte supporters dismiss accused drug users and dealers’ right to due process. Human rights, however, are accorded to all humans. Yes, the accused and the convicted still have human rights. So do victims and survivors. Human rights aren’t just reserved for world leaders; they are accorded to every single being.
Due process is an extension of our human rights. By having Duterte submit to the process of being served a warrant and being arrested to face trial in an international court, he is already being accorded due process. The fact that his lawyers are petitioning the Supreme Court means that his supporters are ensuring that due process is happening by asking for clarification if his arrest was indeed in accordance with our laws. Due process means that he will have his day in (international) court, which is much more than was accorded to the thousands who were killed on the streets, including young children. Due process means that he will be allowed to defend himself in his trial and obtain legal counsel. Unlike the many activists and journalists who were “salvaged” and disappeared, we and his family know exactly where he is and are being informed about what will happen next.
The government has chosen to respect its agreement with the International Criminal Police Organization and coordinated the arrest. This was not done behind the government’s back. The government was made aware of the warrant and permitted the operation. What we are seeing is not a violation of our sovereignty but international cooperation.
The crimes for which the former president is charged relates to his crimes against the Filipino people—why should we not allow the ICC to provide justice to thousands of Filipino families? The fact that his allies are still in positions of power—senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, judges—speaks to the limits of what our local justice system can do. The ICC was established to ensure that there is a recourse for justice when it is governmental or state powers that are the oppressors—especially when they kill their own people. When your government not only fails to protect you but actively harms you, who can you turn to? This is why systems like the ICC should continue to exist.
If anything, Duterte’s supporters, especially if they feel aggrieved by the current administration, should push for us to rejoin the Rome Statute of the ICC so that any Philippine government can be held accountable for its actions.
