For years, justice was deemed buried along with the unheard pleas and shattered dreams of those brutally killed under drug-related operations. Now, the hope for this long-awaited justice resurfaces, as the once untouchable former president Rodrigo Duterte was recently arrested, following the warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his crimes against humanity. Expectedly, his fanatics who view him in rose-colored lenses labeled the arrest as “unlawful and unjust,” considering the same due process given to him was the same rights that the victims of extrajudicial killings were deprived of.
Last March 11, Duterte was taken into police custody after ICC’s warrant over his violations of human rights, specifically murder. While this arrest brings the victims and their families one step closer to justice, Duterte’s supporters called for fairness and expressed concerns about his health condition. The irony is pointed out here. Was there fairness when thousands were killed without a warrant, dumped along the streets, and silenced before they could even speak? If this country is truly hungry for justice, then the perpetrator must be condemned, and not showered with empathy.
A closer look at Duterte’s drug war reveals he did not just promise violence, he institutionalized it. From his campaign of malicious vows to ‘kill’ and clean the streets from drugs, he created a system where extrajudicial killings were not just tolerated, but rewarded. Orchestrating a drug war that executed thousands from poor communities without due process, he enabled a culture of impunity for law enforcers to act with little to no accountability. Deeming these as necessary casualties for the greater good of the country only caused years of violence and silence forced upon victims, leaving no room to even defend themselves. The justified killings among authorities using the infamous “nanlaban” narrative became a common excuse for state-sanctioned murder. However, evidence tells a different story. Police operations reported over 6,000 individuals killed in anti-drug operations, but this number barely scratches the surface. Human rights organizations estimate the actual figure to be closer to 30,000 while countless more remain unrecorded, buried in a war that thrived on impunity. Now, as he faces his reckoning, many of his supporters claim him a victim of unjust treatment. Yet, the true injustice lies not in his arrest, but in the years of terror he inflicted on defenseless families.
In his attempt to mask the truth behind such a brutal campaign, Duterte’s enactment of the Anti-Terrorism Law in 2020 silenced the dissenting voice of the media. The law’s vague definition blurred the lines between journalism and terrorism. It fabricated a “perfect” law for Duterte—who obviously feared the truth and was desperate to silence it. Oppression of the free press took on many forms: violence, censorship, intimidation, and red-tagging. Under his regime, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) tallied at least 23 media professionals killed. Mainstream media outlets openly critical of his administration were repressed, with ABS-CBN unjustly denied of its franchise renewal. It became a long-standing reality that speaking truth to power bore enough reason for tyrants like Duterte to jeopardize lives. He typically regarded it as a journalist’s death sentence—having publicly denounced that journalists are legitimate targets of assassination, if they are, as he puts it, a “son of a bitch.” Has the media truly bruised his fragile ego for him to resort to such brutal methods? Ironic that this man-child and his supporters now insist for fairness and mercy—a right his victims never even had the luxury to hope for, some of whom were activists and bearers of the truth. The scars of his regime will always serve as a grim reminder that journalism is an act of defiance, one Duterte sought to destroy but never could.
His machismo persona only further appealed to outdated attitudes toward women, with many of whom decrying his arrest while refusing to acknowledge the hatred he has for them. For Duterte, women have no place other than to be on the receiving end of his vulgar punchlines. The first of many being made during a 2016 campaign rally, wherein he said he should have been the first to assault Jacqueline Hamill who died after she was gang raped in Davao City. Two years later, he blamed women for his hometown’s high rape rate, stating that their beauty attracted the crime. His term’s final years did not slow his blatant sexism as he claimed that women weakened men and that they were not fit to be president. As he cowers behind his right to freedom of expression, his misogyny fueled a dangerous culture for Filipinas which left them fearing the violence he persistently encouraged. Compassion should not be awarded to a man who denies the same to women.
Duterte’s presidency made one thing clear: opposition was punished, and his dominance was absolute. Critics who spoke out faced retaliation, facing questionable charges to oust them in any position. This brutal grip was evident in 2018 when Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Senator Leila de Lima, who both openly criticized Duterte’s war on drugs, met on similar ends removing them from office. Not content with exerting influence over the courts, Duterte tightened his grip by appointing loyalists and retired generals in the Philippine National Police (PNP) to operate in favor of his power over public safety. Weakening the country’s democracy through his manipulative acts, Duterte freely bent the system to his will. Now, as he faces legal battles, the fight for accountability is more than just about pursuing fairness. It is about proving that no leader is beyond the reach of justice.
As Duterte’s case continues to dominate media outlets, many people feign ignorance, for the sole reason of pity. With a picture painted of a weak and frail Duterte, the image of him being arrested with “no due process” is perceived by followers as an attack from the ruling administration to undermine his legacy and overthrow their dynasty. It’s high time people learn to prioritize accountability over sentimentality and loyalty. His arrest serves as an opportunity to hold him accountable for all the actions that he himself admitted to. To say that the extrajudicial killings were his only fault is a grave indication that he has no remorse for his actions. It is a reflection of how his brutality has claimed countless innocent lives—brushing them off as just collateral. Empathy is not needed for someone who does not have it in the first place. Rather than having sympathy for the machiavellian dictator that he is, it would be better to shift the focus on getting justice for his victims.
Given the weight of his crimes, the arrest of Duterte is neither unlawful nor unfair, it is long overdue. Despite cries for justice, he has steered clear of accountability for thousands of murders linked to his brutal anti-drugs war, the suppression of press freedom, and the destruction of democratic institutions under his leadership. Today, the legal tools he once disregarded are finally returning to haunt him. Duterte established his legacy on violence, fear, and impunity, believing himself to be above the law. No amount of power can erase the bloodstains of his regime, nor can sympathy or selective amnesia alter history. For a man who forged his power on the suffering of others, the world should not weep. Each confession, each documented abuse, and each life lost under his administration points to one inevitable conclusion: Rodrigo Duterte must face the full force of the law.
