ICC case about justice, not Duterte persecution – House leaders

STILL GRIEVING. Sarah Celiz, who lost her two sons to the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs, becomes emotional during a press conference at Baclaran Church’s Romano Hall in Parañaque City on Wednesday (March 12, 2025). During the event, Celiz and relatives of other drug war victims expressed their relief and sense of justice over the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte by the Interpol in connection with the case he is facing before the International Criminal Court. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

By Filane Mikee Cervantes, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – A leader of the House of Representatives said Wednesday the case before the International Criminal Court (ICC) is about seeking justice for victims of the alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs and not about persecuting him.

In a press conference, House Assistant Majority Leader, Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, urged the public to shift the focus away from Duterte’s arrest and instead remember the thousands of drug war victims.

“Sana ituon natin ‘yung pansin natin hindi kay (former) Presidente Duterte kung hindi doon sa mga biktima ng EJK. Napakarami po, napakarami po nila (I hope we focus our attention not on former president Duterte but on EJK victims. There are so many of them),” Acidre said.

He cited the cases of Kian Delos Santos, a 17-year-old student from Caloocan; Carlo Angelo Arnaiz, a 19-year-old University of the Philippines student; and 14-year-old Renato “Kulot” De Guzman from Nueva Ecija, who were all killed during the previous administration’s drug war.

Duterte’s arrest by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and local police stemmed from the ICC’s ongoing investigation into allegations that Duterte’s anti-drug campaign led to thousands of extrajudicial killings when he was Davao City mayor and president of the country.

Duterte was flown out of the country Tuesday night via a chartered plane that would bring him to The Hague in the Netherlands, where the ICC headquarters is located.

Acidre said Duterte’s arrest under an ICC warrant is not a surrender of sovereignty as claimed by critics, but a way to pursue justice for the EJK victims.

He further stressed that Duterte is being held accountable, not persecuted.

“Gusto kong maintindihan ng ating mga kababayan, itong pangyayaring ito, hindi natin ginigipit si dating Pangulong Duterte. Sinisingil lang siya ng taongbayan (I want our countrymen to understand that this is not harassment against former president Duterte. The people are simply holding him accountable),” Acidre said.

Deputy Majority Leader, La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V, echoed the call, emphasizing that justice for the victims should be the priority.

“Itong mga taong namatay ng walang rason, pinagbabansagan sila na collateral damage lang. This is a story of justice, kuwento po ito ng hustisya, itong mga nangyayari ngayon (These people who died for no reason were just labeled as collateral damage. This is a story of justice, that’s what is happening now),” Ortega said.

He expressed confidence that more witnesses would come forward now that justice is within reach.

“Sigurado ‘yun mas lalong may mga taong magco-come forward saka ‘yung mga tao sigurong mas takot dati, medyo nawawala na ‘yung takot nila at ‘yun nga ‘yung iba naman kinakain na ng konsensya eh (For sure, more people will come forward, and those who were afraid before are starting to lose their fear.

Some are even being consumed by their conscience),” Ortega said.