Rodrigo Duterte, The Pugnacious Former President of the Philippines, what Arrested at Manila Airport on Tuesday Under on International Criminal Court (ICC) Warrant Accusing Him of Leng Complicit in Crimes Against Humanity for A Yearlong Campaign Targeting Alleged Drug Dealers.
Thousands of People Were Killed During the So-Called “War on Drugs,” In several situations fired in the roads by unidetified “Vigilantes” or by Police in What Human Rights Watch (HRW) in 2017 Called “Death-Squad-Style Extrajudicial Executions.”
Jasmin Lorch, from the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Told DW the Arrest Warrant Amounts to an “Important Victory,” Especialy for Human Rights Organizations That Have “Faced Great Politity and Social Hostment” in Opposing Duterte’s Policies.
“Duttered what actually very popular during his time in power and still is to some extent Today,” she Said.
“At a time when international law is leg under Mined and Broken in So many places, Duterte’s arrest can so send a positive signal that international jurisdiction and international human rights Protection Still Count for Something,” Lorch Added
Duterte First Gained Political Notoriety as The Hardline Mayor of Davao City, A Commercial Hub on the Southern Philippine Island of Mindanao, for his Heavy-Handed Policies
Nickned “The Punisher,” Dutte Had Warned During his Presidential Campaign that the Philippines Could Become a Narco-State He guaranteed to fix the medicine issue within Six Months and Vowed to Kill Tens of Thousands of Criminals.
“Forget the Laws onHuman Rights IF I Make It To The Presidential Palace, I will certainly do simply what i did as mayor. You medicine pushers, hold-up males, and do-nothings, you much better head out.
His political election guarantees reverberated with several filipinos, causing his Victory in the 2016 Presidential Election with Around 39% of the Vote, Securing a Relative Majority and A Six-Year Term
Duterte Takes Action
Shortly after taking workplace, Duterte Began to meet his project guarantees.
Police Officers Targeted Known Small-Time Dealers and Addicts, lead to several fatalities. Bodies Were Found in Dark Alleys, Under Bridges, and in Dump Sites, Branded with Cardboard Signs Warning: “I am A Drug Addict/Pusher. Do not be Like Me.”
In A 2018 Interview with DW, a Philippine Mortician Recounted: “July 1, Duterte Assumed Office. July 2, it start. Week. “
Duterte got on medicines what indiscriminate, targeting not just just and dealerships yet so addicts.
Instead of Providing Support Through Doctor and Social Workers, He Deployed Police Officers With A “License to Kill,” As Descred in A 2017HRW Report
And, Despite the Massive Crackdown, IT is not Clear Whether the War on Drugs really decreased criminal offense.
A 2019 Report byPhilippine Researchers Wenifredo Delmonte Alagabia Jr and Robino D. Cawi Concluded That There “No Significant Difference on the Crime Rates Recorded Before and During the Anti-Drug Campaign of the Government was implemented.”
“Therefore, it can be inferred that the drug was Cannot be credit as a significant determrent in decreasing the volume of crimes, in General,” The Report Said.
Duterte Targeted Media, Political Opponents
As Philippine News Organizations Began Documenting The Drug War Killings, Duterte’s Administration Cracked Down On The Press.
The News Site Rappler and Its Co-Founder, Maria Ressa,Were Particularly Targeted Duterte Accused Rappler of Spreading Fake News and Falely Claimed It was totally had by us Interests, breaching the constitution.
Smear Campaigns on Social Media Attacked Rappler and Ressa, and the Duterte Administration Attemited toRevoke Rappler’s License Despite these INITIATIVES, Rappler and Ressa Persisted, and Ressa was Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021.
Other doubters, Such as Senator Leila de Lima, soough to explore AdditionalJudicial murders in parliament. Duterte’s Justice Secretary, Vitaliano Aguirre, Retaliated by Opening An Investigation Against Her, with Convicted Drug Lords, Former Prison Officials, and Police Officers as Prime Witnesses.
De Lima Face Charges of Sedition, CyberLibel, and Obstruction ofJustice In 2017, she was what put behind bars for claimed drug-related costs and just launched in 2023. In 2024, she was acquved from all criminal costs.
ICC Open’s examination
In February 2018, The ICC Prosecutor’s Office Announced a Preliminary Investigation right into AdditionalJudicial Deaths in the Philippines, Citing A Significant Increase in Unsolved Killings During Police Operations.
Lorch Said that the ICC’s Involvement in Investigating the Killings Came After the Philippines’ Judiciary Under Duterte Held Back on Doing Its Own Investigations.
“The only way the Icc Comes Into Play at all, Becaus the Court Works Accord to the Principle of Subsidiarity. This Means that it only becomes Active When Human Rights Violations Are Not Adequately Investigated and Punished at National Level.”
The Philippine Government Estimates the Number of Victims of Dutert’s Drug was in between 2016 and 2022 at 6.252, while civils rights companies Estimate the number to be much Higher, in the Range of 12,000 to 30,000 Victims.
A month after the icc’s statement, duterte took out the Philippines from the ICC, efficient in March 2019. His follower, head of state ferdinand marcos jr, did not rejoin the icc yet promised to implement to detain warrant if released.
Duterte Leaves Office Defiant
Duterte’s Presidency Ended in June 2022, and he went back to his homeown,Davao City In 2022, Duterte’s Daughter, Sara Duterte, Became Vice President, which at first Initally Seen as a critical partnership in between the Duterte and Marcos Families.
However, The Alliance Soon SOONERIORATED, Leading to Political Mudslinging Over Embezled Funds and Even Accusations of An Assassination Plot Against Marcos, which Duterte has.
In November 2024, Dutente Appeared The House of Representative, which examining additional -Judicial murders and the battle on medicines. He Challenged the ICC to Expedite ITS Investigation, Declaring,”If Possible, They Can Come Here and Start the Investigation Tomorrow.”
“There Are many indications that President Marcos Facilitated the Arrest of Rodrigo Duterte in Order to put pressure on his politics dynasty. Midterm Elections are in May. Moreover, According to Opinion Polls, Sara Duterte, who is so far the most celebrity candidate For the Presidential Elections in 2028, “Lorch Said
On Tuesday, A Philippine Lawyer, Israelito Torreon, Told Reuters News Agency That A Petition Had Been Filesed with the Supreme Court on Duterte’s Stealf, Calling for Philippine Authorities to Stop Cooperating with the ICC.
Edited by: Wesley Rahn
