FORMER Sen. Leila de Lima yesterday said the arrest of former President Duterte is something she takes “deeply personal,” adding the former chief executive can now experience what it feels to be jailed on trumped-up charges.
In a statement, De Lima said that Duterte now has to be held accountable to the families of those who were killed under his administration’s bloody war on drugs.
“For almost seven years, I was imprisoned on fabricated charges, accused of crimes I did not commit – all because I dared to speak out against Duterte’s drug war. While I was behind bars, thousands of Filipinos were killed without justice, their families left to grieve with no answers, no accountability,” De Lima said.
“This is not about vengeance. This is about justice finally taking its course,” she added.
She said Duterte now has to face the charges against him “not in the court of public opinion but before the rule of law,” stressing this is how justice works – that “those in power must be held to the same standards as everyone else.”
“To those who have fought this long and difficult fight – your voices mattered, and today, the pursuit of justice continues,” De Lima said.
Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros said the “long wait” of the families of extrajudicial killings due to the Duterte administration’s bloody war on drugs is over.
In a statement, Hontiveros said she expects Duterte to be true to his word, which he made under oath during last year’s Senate hearing that he will face the cases filed before the ICC.
“Pinanghahawakan ko ang mga sinabi ni dating Pangulong Duterte, under oath, na haharapin niya ang kaso sa International Criminal Court. Sana bilang abogado, siya ay sumunod sa mga proseso nito (I am banking on former President Duterte’s statements, which he did under oath, that he will face the charges in the ICC. As a lawyer himself, I expect him to follow the process),” she said.
Duterte, during his speech at the Pasasalamat kay Pangulong Duterte (Thanksgiving for President) with overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong organized by the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, said he will accept the reality that he will be arrested once a warrant of arrest has been issued by the ICC.
He, however, insisted that he did nothing wrong, saying what he did to keep the country peaceful and orderly was for the benefit of Filipinos.
Hontiveros said she hopes Malacanang will “honor its word and accede to all requests of the ICC, through the Interpol” to ensure that justice will run its full course.
“The thousands of Filipinos killed during ‘tokhang’ were not murdered by one man alone. Sana ay simula pa lang ito ng paghahabol ng hustisya sa lahat ng mga opisyal at kawani ng gobyerno na responsible sa pagpatay sa inosente o walang kalab-laban (This should be the start of exacting accountability from government officials and employees responsible for killing the innocent and helpless citizens),” she added.
Akbayan party-list first nominee Atty. Chel Diokno said he stands with the families and victims of EJKs during the bloody war on drugs of the Duterte administration.
Diokno, a human rights advocate, said that “justice demands that this warrant be enforced without delay.
“Duterte must be placed under the ICC’s jurisdiction immediately. The Philippine government must fully cooperate with Interpol and the ICC, mobilizing all law enforcement agencies to bring him in. The government must act decisively and ensure that he has nowhere to hide. No more safe spaces for tyrants,” Diokno said.
Diokno said Duterte must have thought of himself as “untouchable,” but “history catches up with even the most ruthless despots.”
“His reign of terror must meet its inevitable end: his conviction. This is a critical step towards justice, but the fight is far from over. His allies will attempt to shield him, manipulate the system, and derail the process. The government must guarantee full protection for the witnesses and victims’ families who are now at risk of retaliation,” he added.
Diokno called on Filipinos to be vigilant to ensure that the full force of the law applies to the former president.
“The road to accountability is long, but today, it just got a little shorter,” he added.
CALL FOR PRAYERS
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go appealed to Filipinos to stay calm and pray for the safety of Duterte.
Go said he talked to Duterte over the phone while the latter was held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Villamor Airbase, where he was whisked after he arrived from Hong Kong yesterday morning.
“Nandito lang kami kung ano man ang kailangan ninyo. Kalma lang ang sinasabi ko sa mga tao, dasal lang. Mahal ka ng Pilipino, mahal ka namin. Nandito lang kami sa gate, sir, ng Villamor (We are here if you need anything. I told the people to stay calm and pray for you. The Filipino people love you; we love you. We are just here at the gate of Villamor [Airbase]…Huminahon lang tayo at ipagdasal si dating Pangulong Duterte),” Go said in the Visayan dialect as he talked to Duterte.
In a Facebook live post, Go said Duterte loves Filipinos and they help the former president by praying for him.
“Minahal tayo ni Tatay Digong. Ipagdasal natin siya. Ipakita natin ang pagmamahal natin sa kanya sa pagdadasal (Tatay [father] Digong loves us. Let’s pray for him. We can show our love for him by praying for him. Just stay calm and pray for the former president),” he added.
Go said he was not allowed to welcome Duterte at the airport because his access pass was cancelled, leaving him clueless as to where the former president was brought after his arrival from Hong Kong. He added that he later learned that Duterte was brought to the Kalayaan Hall of Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.
He said authorities only allowed Duterte’s wife Honeylet, daughter Veronica, a private nurse, and former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to accompany the former president to Villamor Airbase.
Go said authorities did not allow Duterte to be checked by his personal physician. The former president complained of back pains and was supposed to undergo a medical procedure today, Wednesday, at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.
He said they even called an ambulance to take Duterte to Cardinal Santos Medical Center, to no avail.
“Importante at karapatan po ng bawat Pilipino na unahin muna ang kalusugan. Constitutional right po ‘yan (It’s important and the right of every Filipino to prioritize one’s health. That is a constitutional right),” he added.
He said he was not allowed to see Duterte inside Villamor Airbase for unclear reasons.
Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, a close ally of Duterte like Go, has yet to issue an official statement over Duterte’s arrest.
Senate president pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada urged Filipinos to remain calm and “exercise sobriety” as the legal proceedings unfold.
“We must refrain from any kind of violence, spreading misinformation, or taking actions that may only further polarize our country,” Estrada said.
He said that Duterte, like any other Filipino, is “entitled to legal recourse” and a lawyer knows the “proper steps to take.”
“Maintaining our nation’s unity and stability is crucial as we navigate this challenging chapter in history,” Estrada said.
Senate deputy majority leader Joseph Victor Ejercito said Filipinos should pray for the country amid the political development that is dividing the country.
“Ipinagdarasal ko ang Pilipinas. Ako ay nalulungkot sa ating pagkakawatak-watak. Napakahirap na umusad (I am praying for the Philippines. I am saddened that the country is now divided. It will be hard to move forward again),” Ejercito said in a Viber message to reporters.
Sen. Imee Marcos, in an interview in Quezon province, said she was surprised that Duterte was arrested, saying she could not believe that something like that would happen to a former president who is already old.
She said the Filipino people have not learned from lessons from the past, that too much politics only affects the poor.
“Sa lahat ng nakakahiyang yugto sa ating politika – gantihan nang gantihan, awayan nang awayan. Yumaman ba, nabusog ba, sumaya ba ang taumbayan? ‘Yun lang ang tanong ko. Awang-awa talaga ako. Naawa ako sa tatay ko nung 1986. Naawa rin ako sa mga sumunod na pangulo – kay Erap, kay GMA. Gulo lang ang dulot nito. Hindi na tayo natuto. Paulit-ulit na lang tayo
(Politics in the country has very shameful chapters – they like to get even; they like to fight with one another. Did we prosper? Did it feed the hungry? Did it make the people happy? Those are my only questions. I pity my father in 1986 [People’s Power Revolution]. I also pity the succeeding presidents like former Presidents Estrada and Gloria Arroyo. This only makes our country messy),” she added.
PDP-Laban senatorial candidate Rodante Marcoleta said Duterte has done so much in the fight against illegal drugs and the country has benefitted from it.
He said the arrest of the former president is questionable.
“‘Yung pagkakahuli sa kanya, hindi ko alam kung under what authority it was done. Ang alam ko ang warrant of arrest ay hindi maaaring iisyu ng ICC sapagkat wala pa naman yatang pinadalang complaint sa kanya para sagutin. Samakatuwid, kung walang warrant of arrest at nasa ilalim lang ng Red Notice ng Interpol, medyo kuwestiyonable or kaduda-duda ‘yung paraan kung bakit yung dating pangulo ng bansa ay kanilang dakpin. Hindi mabuting patakaran ito (I don’t know in what authority was his arrest done. As far as I know, an arrest warrant cannot be issued by the ICC since there was no complaint sent to the former president to answer. Therefore, if there was no warrant of arrest and the arrest was only under the Interpol’s Red Notice, the manner in which the former president was arrested is somewhat questionable or doubtful. That is not a good policy),” Marcoleta said in an interview in Iloilo City.
The PDP-Laban requested friends and supporters to offer prayers and light candles for the former president.
The party said friends and supporters can upload their actions on social media platforms using the background music “Pilipinas, Duterte pa rin (Philippines is still for Duterte).”
‘CONSEQUENCES’
Makabayan senatorial bet France Castro welcomed the arrest of Duterte for crimes against humanity as “a significant milestone in the pursuit of accountability and justice for the victims of his brutal regime.
“The arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte marks a concrete step towards accountability and justice for the countless victims of his bloody regime. This should serve as a reminder that those responsible for human rights abuses must face the consequences of their actions,” the lawmaker said.
ACT Teachers Party-list nominee Antonio Tinio expressed hopes that the rest of the respondents would also be rounded up so that the trial could begin shortly.
“We hope that Vice President Sara Duterte will be next. The wheels of justice must continue to turn, and all those complicit in the atrocities committed during Duterte’s administration must be held accountable for their actions,” he said.
“The arrest of former President Duterte sends a clear message that justice will prevail and that those who have committed grave human rights violations will be held accountable for their actions,” Castro said.
Senatorial aspirant and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said the ICC’s move offers hope for the families of EJK victims, particularly young children who became collateral damage to the failed campaign against the trafficking of illegal drugs.
“The arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity is a crucial step toward achieving justice for the countless victims of his bloody war on drugs. It offers a glimpse of hope for the families who, until now, continue to search for the justice that has remained so elusive,” Brosas said.
She urged the public to remember the Kian Delos Santos, 17; Joshua Laxamana, 17; Althea Barbon, 4; Myca Ulpina, 3; Angelito Soriano, 16; Jones Segovia, 15; Sonny Espinosa, 16; and countless others who were all murdered but most of whom have yet to attain justice.
“While it cannot bring back the lives lost, Duterte’s arrest is a step toward holding him accountable for the countless human rights abuses committed under his term,” the lawmaker said.
Beyond the drug war, she pointed out that Duterte’s regime also waged a brutal crackdown on activists and human rights defenders.
“Duterte must face trial before the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the Marcos administration must ensure that he does not evade justice. At the same time, the government must take the necessary action to ensure that victims’ families can safely come forward and participate in the ICC proceedings—not just to hold Duterte accountable but also to prosecute other key implementers of his war on drugs,” she added.
Brosas noted that even as Duterte was arrested, many individuals who were also named in the ICC case remained ensconced in powerful positions, including Vice President Sara Duterte and Senators Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Bong Go, both of whom are seeking re-election.
ARREST HAILED
Administration lawmakers hailed Duterte’s arrest, saying it only proves that no one is above the law and that the former president is not “untouchable” as he made it appear.
“This is a victory for justice and accountability. The ICC warrant is not just symbolic—it is a clear signal that no one is untouchable, not even a former president. Former President Duterte must face the consequences of his actions,” Reps. Amparo Maria Zamora of Taguig City, Jefferson Khonghun of Zambales and Raul Angelo Bongalon (PL, Ako Bicol) said in a joint statement.
“The Duterte administration’s bloody drug war has long been condemned worldwide. The issuance of an ICC arrest warrant and an Interpol Red Notice means there is no escape from justice,” the House leaders added.
The lawmakers said Duterte’s allies should stop portraying the ICC arrest warrant as a product of political maneuverings, saying the ICC “does not issue arrest warrants without substantial evidence.”
“This is not a political stunt—this is justice catching up with the former president,” they said.
Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr. said, “The ICC operates based on evidence, not politics. This is not about partisanship—this is about justice, accountability, and upholding human rights.
“The Filipino people and the world demand answers, and Duterte must face the consequences of his actions,” Gonzales added. “This is a clear message that no leader can escape justice forever. The rule of law must prevail, and the Philippine government should respect international accountability mechanisms instead of protecting those accused of grave human rights violations,” he said.
La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said that Duterte’s arrest proves that “justice has no expiration date.”
“The thousands of lives lost in the bloody war on drugs deserve to be remembered, and the arrest of the former president is a testament that impunity will never be permanent,” he said.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, lead chair of the House quad committee which investigated Duterte’s drug war, said Duterte’s arrest and subsequent trial by the ICC in the Hague “marks a pivotal moment in the Philippine’s pursuit of justice, particularly to the families of the more than 30,000 extra-judicial killings (EJKs) during his administration’s bloody war on drugs.”
Barbers expressed hope that the former president’s arrest would restore the public’s trust in the justice system. “Ito ay patunay na sa ating bansa, sa Bagong Pilipinas, na walang sinuman ang nasa ibabaw ng batas (It only proves that in our country, in the New Philippines, no one is above the law,” he said.
“Ang pag-aresto kay dating Pangulong Duterte ay isang hakbang tungo sa katarungan para sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng mahal sa buhay dahil sa EJKs (Former President Duterte’s arrest is a step towards justice for the families who lost their loved ones because of extrajudicial killings),” he said.
Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman said the arrest of Duterte “is proof that the Philippines is a country that respects the rules-based order in the world and that we uphold the rule of law.”
Roman also said it is high time that the country rejoins the ICC.
“Lumabas tayo unilaterally (Executive decision) from the ICC (We withdrew unilaterally from the ICC). I think it’s about time bumalik tayo sa ICC at ipakita natin sa buong mundo na itong bansang ito ay gumagalang sa ating mga batas at sa mga international law (that we rejoin the ICC and show the whole world that this country respects our laws and the international law),” Roman told a press conference.
Roman said rejoining the ICC would be consistent with the aspirations of President Marcos Jr. to uphold the rule of law “because he has nothing to hide.”
“So, sana po panawagan ko bumalik na po tayo sa ICC (So I hope, my call is for us to rejoin the ICC). If this is a position that recognizes a rule-based order around the world, then let’s walk the talk. Let’s go back to the folds of the ICC because naniniwala ako wala naman dapat tayong ikatakot (I believe that there is nothing to fear),” the lawmaker said.
WALK THE TALK
The social action arm of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) dared Duterte to make good on his words by facing the ICC.
In a statement, Caritas Philippines President Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said now is the time for Duterte to prove he can walk the talk on how he is “ready to face the consequences of his actions” concerning the bloody war on illegal drugs during his administration.
“For years, former President Duterte has claimed that he is ready to face the consequences of his actions. Now is the time for him to prove it,” said Bagaforo.
“We call on him to honor this commitment and fully submit to the rule of law. We urge Duterte to uphold his own words and submit himself to the legal process,” he added.
Caritas Philippines Vice President Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said the ICC process must be honored in the spirit of accountability, transparency, and the protection of human rights.
He said this is also for the sake of the families of the victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the Duterte war on drugs.
“These killings were not random. They were part of a policy that violated the fundamental right to life. The families of the victims deserve truth, reparations, and justice,” said Alminaza.
“The rule of law must prevail. Justice must be served. Let this be a turning point for our nation: a step toward healing, accountability, and real change,” he added.
Prelates also appealed to Duterte’s supporters and his political allies to respect the judicial process of the ICC.
“Let us set aside personal loyalty and choose to stand with the rule of law. This moment calls for leaders to prioritize justice and the common good over partisan interests,” said Caritas Philippines.
It also called on the Marcos administration to give its full cooperation to the ICC regarding Duterte’s case.
“We urge the Marcos administration to cooperate with the ICC, allow an impartial investigation, and ensure that the Philippines does not remain a country where impunity thrives. If the government has nothing to hide, it has nothing to fear,” said Caritas Philippines. – With Peter Tabingo, Wendell Vigilia, and Gerard Naval
