Human rights groups and advocates welcomed the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte on March 11 at Welcome Rotonda, Quezon City, following an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Members of BAYAN, Gabriela, Rise Up, Kabataan Partylist, and other progressive groups gathered at the area, alongside relatives of extrajudicial killing (EJK) victims, to express support for Duterte's apprehension.
Authorities confirmed that Duterte was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after returning from Hong Kong, following Interpol Manila’s receipt of an official copy of the ICC warrant, which was then served as he alighted from the plane.
The arrest was carried out based on a red notice issued by Interpol in connection with the human rights violations during his administration’s anti-drug campaign and his alleged role as the head of the Davao Death Squad during his tenure as mayor of Davao City.
Despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from ICC, the country remains a member of Interpol, making it obligated to comply with their request.
Calling it a "first step" in their fight for justice, demonstrators emphasized that the arrest was not only a win for EJK victims but also for other sectors affected by oppression under Duterte's leadership.
No trial for EJK victims, now Duterte stands in one
For families of the drug war victims where more than 7,000 people were killed from 2016 to 2022, Duterte’s arrest brought a sense of long awaited justice. Yet for Salvacion Ramos, whose daughter Cristeta was killed in 2017, it felt like only a small step in their ongoing fight for justice.
“Hindi pa kami totally masaya kasi may proseso [at] wala pang hustisya sa amin," she expressed.
She recalled how four unidentified men barged into their home, dragged Cristeta outside, and shot her three times in the head. No authorities initially responded. Instead, media groups and members of the Catholic Church were the first to reach out to her.
With limited resources, Ramos sought assistance from the United Nations and a priest from Baclaran Church, who helped arrange Cristeta's funeral.
Ramos remembered her daughter as a caring figure who looked after her nieces. While she acknowledged that Cristeta had been influenced by peers, she believes imprisonment, not death, should have been the consequence.
“Masakit man sa ’kin na pinatay siya nang gan’on-gan’on, siguro sa Panginoon lang, dapat kinulong na lang siya para magpa-hanggang ngayon, kasama ko pa siya,” she said, noting how her daughter faced instant death while Duterte has the chance to stand trial now for his crimes against humanity.
Despite her pain, Ramos still expressed gratitude for Duterte’s arrest, believing it brings renewed hope for justice.
“Ngayon na nahuli na siya, laking pasasalamat namin. Unti-unti kaming naliwanagan. Unti-unti kaming may pag-asa para sa hustisya ng aming mahal sa buhay," she said.
Marching for pride and justice
Duterte’s presidency was also marked by his controversial decision to pardon US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton, the convicted killer of transgender woman Jennifer Laude. For queer activists, his arrest served as a moment of reckoning for the injustices suffered under his administration.
Reyna Valmores, chairperson of Bahaghari, recalled the outrage following Pemberton’s release in 2020. The presidential pardon, granted even after a Philippine court sentenced Pemberton to six to ten years in prison, was widely condemned as a betrayal of the LGBTQIA+ community and a concession to US military interests under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
“Tatlong taon nating inilaban ito na panagutin si Duterte sa International Criminal Court at ngayon nga siya nag-prospect,” Valmores said. “Napakahistoric ng moment na ito para sa mga biktima under the Duterte regime, and that includes Jennifer Laude.”
Valmores emphasized that the fight for justice does not end with Duterte’s arrest, especially as his allies attempt to paint him as a victim. She pointed out the Duterte family’s response, particularly how they framed his arrest as political persecution.
“Biglang ang Duterte family nagpapa-victim, ang mga agents ni Duterte iyak nang iyak, si Kitty Duterte kunwari namamatay na ‘yong tatay niya,” she remarked. “It’s definitely a propaganda war.”
For Valmores, Duterte’s arrest is not just about holding him accountable for his crimes but also about ensuring that his legacy of impunity does not persist.
Her fight is deeply personal. In a social media post, Valmores detailed the repeated harassment and threats she endured under Duterte’s administration: being red-tagged, slandered, and sexually harassed on live television; imprisoned for organizing a Pride march, and constantly followed by non-uniformed personnel after her release. She recalled how state forces called her family, threatening that she would “join the mountains,” implying forced recruitment into the New People’s Army (NPA).
“To think, after all this, ako pa ang pinalad, because some of my friends and colleagues were disappeared or murdered in cold blood gaya ni Chad,” she wrote. “At hindi rin pinalad ang higit 30,000 nating mga kababayan na pinatay sa drug war nang walang due process.”
Her account shifts to another pressing issue under Duterte’s rule, which is red-tagging. This practice has endangered countless activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens who were critical of his administration.
From bloodshed to candlelit hope
Duterte’s administration did not only rely on extrajudicial killings to silence dissent. It also weaponized red-tagging and fabricated cases to jail activists, aiming to intimidate and suppress those who stood against his rule. Orly Marcellana, a member of Hustisya (Victims United for Justice), has experienced this firsthand.
His daughter, Danah Marie Marcellana, was arrested on July 24, 2021, along with her husband, and charged with rebellion based on what he described as “gawa-gawang kaso.” While the cases against her were eventually dismissed in Infanta and Catanauan, Quezon, her husband remains detained in Bicutan.
Marcellana is no stranger to state repression. His wife, Eden Marcellana, was the secretary-general of Karapatan Southern Tagalog and was killed in 2003 under the command of then-military officer Jovito Palparan. Nearly two decades later, Marcellana himself became a target of Duterte’s Bloody Sunday Massacre in March 2021, where his friend, labor leader Manny Asuncion, was shot dead inside his office in Dasmariñas, Cavite.
“Gumagawa sila ng lahat ng mga panggigipit para takutin, paatrasin ‘yong aming pamilya na hanggang ngayon patuloy na lumalaban para sa hustisya kasi ang daming pinatay sa Southern Tagalog mula pa panahon ni Gloria hanggang sa panahon ni Duterte,” he said.
Like many victims' families, Marcellana welcomed Duterte’s arrest. In a Facebook post, he recalled how he once made a promise to light a candle at Baclaran Church if Duterte was ever captured. On March 11, he finally had the chance to fulfill it.
Duterte’s arrest marks a historic moment for the families of extrajudicial killing victims, human rights defenders, and activists who endured years of state violence. However, for those who suffered losses, it is only the beginning of their long fight for justice.
While Duterte’s detention is a significant step, justice remains elusive for thousands of families still mourning their loved ones. From the victims of the drug war to the activists muffled by state-sponsored attacks, the struggle continues against the legacy of impunity his administration left behind.
Ramos summarized the reality of the justice system in the country in her words, “Dito sa Pilipinas, mailap ang hustisya para sa mahirap kagaya namin. Ang hustisya sa Pilipinas para sa mga may pera. Kaya kami, lumalaban na lang kami hanggang ngayon. Humahanap kami ng mga kakampi.”
Marcellana also echoed this sentiment, remaining resolute in his fight.
“Walang mamamatay-tao na forever. [Darating] ang panahon na uusigin kayo ng batas at kung ‘di man kayo usigin ng batas, [darating] ang panahon ng paghuhukom. Papatayin kayo ng taumbayan na pinagkautangan niyo ng dugo,” he said.
Duterte was transferred to The Hague, Netherlands, hours after his arrest at NAIA. He did not attend in-person due to health and age during his initial appearance before the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I on March 14, where he was informed of the charges against him and his rights as a defendant.
The court set a confirmation of charges hearing for September 23 where prosecutors must present evidence to justify proceeding with a trial.
Duterte’s legal team will be led by British-Israeli lawyer Nicholas Kaufman, with former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea, and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque as supporting counsel.
The average period of trial in the ICC lasts for eight years, ICC Assistant to Counsel Atty. Kristina Conti said. Conti and her clients are hopeful that Duterte’s arrest will lead to trial.
Article: Jane Andes and Maicah Rachel Eugenio
Graphics: Marc Nathaniel Servo
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