Entering ChinaAccording to a report by the Philippine GMA News Network on the 12th, in the early morning of the 13th, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was chartered and sent to The Hague, Netherlands, where the headquarters of the International Criminal Court is located. On the 11th, Philippine police detained him on the basis of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court. Duterte’s daughter, Philippine Vice President Sarah, left for The Hague, the Netherlands, on the 12th to cheer up her father. At present, the polarization in the Philippines is simmering around Duterte’s arrest and the upcoming trial.
A plane docks at Rotterdam Hague Airport in The Hague, Netherlands, March 12. (Visual China)
According to the Philippine “Daily Inquirer” reported on the 12th, after Duterte’s chartered flight arrived in The Hague, he will be taken to the detention center of the International Criminal Court, where he is ready to appear in court to be tried by the court judges. The ICC provides that all suspects “shall be tried by the Pre-Trial Chamber immediately upon arrival at the Court”. The purpose of the pre-trial is to verify the identity of the suspect and inform him of the crime with which he is charged. At the end of the hearing, the judge confirms the charges and sends the accused to the Trial Chamber, or indicates that the prosecution needs to provide additional evidence, amend the charges, or drop the charges altogether. Once the charges have been confirmed, the ICC will form Trial Chambers to conduct trials.
The Office of the Vice President of the Philippines said on the 12th that Vice President Sarah departed from Manila to the Netherlands at 7:40 a.m. that day. Sarah said late at night on the 11th that she would follow her father to The Hague to attend the trial of the International Criminal Court. She added that the current Philippine government’s detention of her father on the basis of an ICC warrant was a flagrant affront to Philippine sovereignty. Sarah also claimed that her father had been “kidnapped by the government.”
The Philippine Presidential Information Office retorted on the 12th that the kidnapping was taken away forcibly without authorization, and the Philippine government had an arrest warrant. Regarding Duterte’s war on drugs, the Philippine President’s Press Office said excessive violence and extrajudicial killings should never be part of government policy. Although Duterte has been arrested and sent to The Hague for trial, the Philippine Election Commission still said on the 12th that Duterte is still a candidate for mayor of Davao City. According to the ABS-CBN website in the Philippines, election commission spokesman John Laudianco said that under the comprehensive election law, individuals with pending cases can still be candidates until they are convicted and receive a final verdict.
According to the Philippine “Manila Bulletin”, the Philippine military made an urgent statement on the 12th to refute rumors of civil unrest among soldiers dissatisfied with Duterte’s arrest. Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Padilla stressed on the same day that the Philippine military is “professional and non-partisan” and focuses on the core mission of safeguarding national security and maintaining stability. “The arrest of the former president is a law enforcement issue and is not under the direct jurisdiction of the military,” she said. We always strictly adhere to professional principles and do not take sides. The speculation of unrest in the army is unfounded”. Padilha said that the overall security situation in the Philippines remains stable, but the armed forces have been actively monitoring developments, especially the street protests, and “we are always on high alert.”
After Duterte’s arrest, his supporters called for mass protests. Bloomberg reported on the 12th that on the evening of the 11th, hundreds of Duterte supporters held a rally and prayer vigil next to the airport where he was arrested. In Mindanao, thousands of people also gathered to protest his arrest. “His arrest is groundless. Let’s unite and show our support”, said Jimmy Dureza, former Davao City Councilman from the Philippines. Lovely Veroria, a 42-year-old Davao resident, said Duterte’s hard-hitting crime policies have brought safety to her family.
But Duterte also has some opponents. According to a report by the Associated Press on the 12th, some people gathered in the streets to celebrate Duterte’s arrest. They said the fight had just begun and that “it’s time for him [Duterte] to accept the charges.”
The Philippine media is also not unanimous on the matter. “Duterte’s day of reckoning has arrived.” The Daily Inquirer published an editorial on the 12th, saying that it remains to be seen what will happen after Duterte’s arrest, and the fighting is far from over. The government must “keep the wheel of justice running.” Duterte’s transfer is swift, otherwise his allies would use the arrest to incite political instability. While Duterte and his accomplices appear in court, witnesses must be well prepared. But the Manila Times argues that the Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC in 2019. In any case, the ICC cannot claim to order Duterte’s arrest because the Philippines has withdrawn from the agency.
The website of Australia’s “Dialogue” magazine said on the 12th that Duterte may become the first former head of state in Asia to be tried in The Hague. But confirming police involvement in the killings is a huge challenge. Even if a case can be filed against Duterte now, witnesses, especially those within the police, will be difficult to find. At the same time, the Duterte camp will quickly launch a defense, and it will be a “trial show”.
