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THROW-ned Royalty

  • Writer: deskvalor
    deskvalor
  • Mar 25
  • 3 min read

Updated: Mar 26

Article By: Andre Santos, Editorial Cartoon By: Michael Mayo


Once standing behind the podium is now sitting behind bars. Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who claimed to uplift the Philippines through his “War on Drugs” has now put a tainting name on the country, with International Criminal Court (ICC) pressing charges on his crime against humanity. 
Once standing behind the podium is now sitting behind bars. Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who claimed to uplift the Philippines through his “War on Drugs” has now put a tainting name on the country, with International Criminal Court (ICC) pressing charges on his crime against humanity. 

Duterte’s arrest at Ninoy Aquino International on March 12, 2025, upon his return from Hong Kong, marks a watershed moment for those who lost innocent lives during his reign. The bloodbaths that occurred in the back alleys of the metro have finally caught up with the former president. This movement serves as society’s wake-up call, reminding the country of the countless lives lost and the families left to grieve. 


Since June 30, 2016, Duterte’s ‘War on Drugs’ has led to the deaths of approximately 12,000 Filiipinos, who mostly came from impoverished backgrounds, putting the public to believe that this program was created to execute the poor (Human Rights Watch n.d.). With this, the ICC’s decision to arrest Duterte was a mere reflection of his action towards the country; wherein people are forced in a state where they are too vulnerable to defend themselves and too overpowered by the government to voice out the truth.


The Duterte regime not only became a leeway for illicit crimes, but also a pathway for human rights violations. Police were forced to target small drug dealers instead of the big suppliers, as they were easier to catch and silence if they ever escaped from their grasp. Moreover, giving power to the authorities to shoot the alleged dealers to their death is inhumane; not because they “sell” drugs means that they intend harm— sometimes the society and the government itself pushed them to violate their own ethics in order to survive from this world.


Cases of drug planting have surfaced during this program wherein police officers were presumed to put illegal contrabands to innocent bystanders and arrested them in order to gain the trust of the Filipino countrymen. Despite this, the opposite happened; the country did not only lose trust in authorities, they also gained a new enemy of the nation.


Supported by this is Article III, Bill of Rights in the 1987 Constitution, which guarantees the protection of individual rights and freedom. However, when Duterte’s power was overflowing, opposing the administration was a questionable choice. Dissent was often met with intimidation and violence, silencing many who dared speak out against the regime.


Now that he has been detained, the family members of those who were part of the unlawful killings have resurfaced to seek justice that they have been longing for. Beyond this, it is still truly a devastating moment to see that only after nearly a decade, will the culprit be accountable for what he did.


A lot of uncertainty is still yet to be determined as to how Duterte’s outcome will be due the trial that will be held in the next few months. Nevertheless, the echoing screams of the victims will remain in the future and will continue to haunt those who were part of this tragedy.


Nevertheless, ICC should weigh in all the factors that would affect the trial of the former president, including the allegations that are still pending for approval to the Senate. Doing this, it would provide a better decision for the ICC whether to convict Duterte or let him achieve the freedom he once had. Duterte's time was truly a national crisis, but now that he’s been dethroned— these royalties who were meant to lead the oppress, will now fall to the hands of those who truly seeks justice for the public.



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