Arrest is key step for families’ fight for answers
This arrest is a huge blow for Duterte.
Human rights groups estimate tens of thousands of Filipinos were summarily executed during his brutal “War on Drugs”. Only a handful of people have ever been arrested.
It could be a key step towards accountability for those who’ve long sought it for loved ones – many of whom were gunned down by hit men, police and vigilantes.
Campaigners say the majority were poor people, largely from cities, who had nothing to do with the drug trade.
It’s unclear if Duterte will be forced to surrender to the ICC in The Hague. But it will certainly be a major test for the court, which has recently also sought the arrest of the head of Myanmar’s military and Israel’s prime minister.
Duterte played up to his role as a strongman as he stepped off the plane, telling reporters: “You would have to kill me first if you are going to ally with white foreigners.”
The former leader’s team has already declared the arrest unlawful and vowed to fight it.
Many feared Duterte’s successor was helping him continue life with impunity. The pair did both talk about the ICC threatening the Philippines’ sovereignty.
But by late 2023, the government had quietly allowed investigators to enter the Philippines. It appears that was a critical step towards today’s development.
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