Rowegie Abanto

Protesters display images of victims of alleged extrajudicial killings during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte at a protest outside the House of Representatives on November 7, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Protesters display images of victims of extrajudicial killings during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte at a protest outside the House of Representatives on November 7, 2024. The group called for justice and accountability for all victims of Duterte’s “war on drugs” and the alleged brutal crackdown on dissent. The progressive group Bayan urged the House of Representatives Quad Committee to expand its probe to include cases of extrajudicial killings of activists and human rights defenders.

Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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Protest- HOR

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174166985068820241107-congress-ejk-protest-MT01.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Protesters display images of victims of alleged extrajudicial killings during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte at a protest outside the House of Representatives on November 7, 2024. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — Critics, human rights groups, and families of the victims of the bloody war on drugs have hailed the government&#x27;s arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying the long wait to justice may be over but the fight continues to held him accountable.</p><p>Philippine authorities arrested Duterte, 79, as he landed on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Hong Kong due to a warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court.</p><p>The ICC is investigating Duterte for possible crime against humanity in relation to the alleged Davao Death Squad slayings when he was still Davao City mayor and thousands of drug-related killings under his presidency.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/11/duterte-questions-icc-warrant-of-arrest-demands-answers-for-deprivation-of-liberty-1239">Duterte questions ICC warrant of arrest, demands answers for ‘deprivation of liberty’</a></div><p>ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti, who lawyers for some drug war casualties, said the families of the victims welcomed Duterte&#x27;s arrest because he could finally face trial before the international tribunal.</p><p>Conti pointed out that a person arrested under a warrant of arrest from the ICC should be flown to The Hague, The Netherlands as soon as possible.</p><p>&quot;Walang katumbas ang saya ang nararamdaman nila ngayon dahil magkakaroon na ng pagkakataon na marinig &#x27;yung side nila at side niya sa isang maayos at patas na paraan,&quot; Conti said.</p><p>Rise Up for Life and for Rights (Rise Up), a group of families and advocates of victims of extrajudicial killings under Duterte&#x27;s drug war, published on Facebook the initial reactions from some of the families of the victims.</p><p>&quot;Welcome! &#x27;Yan ang mga katagang binibigkas ng mga pamilyang biktima ng papamaslang sa panahon ni Duterte,&quot; Llore Pasco, mother of two drug war victims, was quoted as saying.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/11/duterte-arrested-on-icc-warrant-over-drug-war-killings-0126">Ex-President Duterte arrested on ICC warrant</a></div><p>Pasco called on the Marcos administration to ensure that Duterte would be held accountable for launching the war on drugs that left mostly poor Filipinos dead.</p><p>&quot;Lubos ang aming pag-asa na makamtan ang minimithing Hustisya ng lahat ng mga biktima! Panagutin si Duterte!&quot; she added.</p><p>Teodoro Casiño, a former Bayan Muna lawmaker, said that Duterte would be finally held to account before a court that observes due process, &quot;something which he denied thousands of victims of his bogus drug war.&quot;</p><p>For Bagong Alyansang Makabayan President Renato Reyes, Duterte&#x27;s arrest is a &quot;historic step&quot; to justice and &quot;a blow to the regime of impunity that has been prevalent in the Philippines.&quot; </p><p>&quot;Impunity cannot be forever, and we see that while the struggle may be long and difficult, the people will always prevail,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Let this event serve as a warning to those who think that abuse of power will remain unpunished.&quot;</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cMafqHFquwI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;NO MORE SAFE SPACES FOR TYRANTS&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno said the Marcos administration must ensure that &quot;he has nowhere to hide&quot; and sought &quot;no more safe spaces for tyrants.&quot;</p><p>&quot;For decades, Duterte thought himself untouchable—above the law, beyond accountability. But history catches up with even the most ruthless despots. His reign of terror must meet its inevitable end: his conviction,&quot; he said.</p><p>Diokno warned that while Duterte&#x27;s allies could &quot;shield, manipulate, and derail&quot; the process following his arrest, the government &quot;must guarantee full protection&quot; for the witnesses and victims&#x27; families, who he said are now at risk of retaliation.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/11/-they-re-trying-to-murder-the-old-man-duterte-denied-of-medical-care-says-son-baste-1356">‘They’re trying to murder the old man’: Duterte denied of medical care, says son Baste</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/11/duterte-questions-icc-warrant-of-arrest-demands-answers-for-deprivation-of-liberty-1239">Duterte questions ICC warrant of arrest, demands answers for ‘deprivation of liberty’</a></div><p>The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines and human rights group Karapatan meanwhile said that there should be no special treatment for Duterte and stressed that the law must be applied equally.</p><p>ICHRP noted that there has been a norm for &quot;elite&quot; officials in the Philippines who have &quot;evaded justice through fabricated medical excuses and political maneuvering.&quot;</p><p>Following his arrest, Duterte&#x27;s camp said that the former president, 79, was scheduled for a &quot;medical procedure&quot; on Wednesday, March 12.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;JUSTICE FINALLY TAKES ITS COURSE&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Former senator Leila de Lima, one of the fiercest critics of Duterte and his policies, said in a statement that the former president&#x27;s arrest was &quot;deeply personal&quot; for her.</p><p>De Lima was detained for nearly 7 years after criticizing Duterte&#x27;s drug war. She was incarcerated due to allegations that she was linked to the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison. The charges were eventually cleared by the courts.</p><p>&quot;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,&quot; she said.</p><p>&quot;Today, Duterte is being made to answer—not to me, but to the victims, to their families, to a world that refuses to forget. This is not about vengeance. This is about justice finally taking its course.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BISHOPS: DUTERTE ARREST A STEP TOWARD ACCOUNTABILITY, JUSTICE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, some Catholic bishops lauded Duterte’s arrest, calling it a step toward accountability and justice.</p><p>&quot;True justice… is about accountability, transparency, and the protection of human dignity,&quot; Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan said.</p><p>Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, for his part, emphasized the need for justice.</p><p>&quot;These killings were not random; they were part of a policy that violated the fundamental right to life,&quot; said Alminaza, who is also vice president of the national Caritas.</p><p>Bishop Broderick Pabillo of Taytay likewise said the crimes under Duterte’s watch must be investigated.</p><p>&quot;This is where we will see whether his actions were right or wrong and whether he should be held responsible if they were wrong,&quot; Pabillo told Manila archdiocese-run Radio Veritas.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tpOqXMM74d4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qOWB9SQgnWs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Critics, human rights groups, and families of the victims of the bloody war on drugs have hailed the government's arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying the long wait to justice may be over but the fight continues to held him accountable.</p>

Critics, human rights groups, and families of the victims of the bloody war on drugs have hailed the government's arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, saying the long wait to justice may be over but the fight continues to held him accountable.

Families of drug war victims, rights groups hail Duterte's arrest

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Families of drug war victims, rights groups hail Duterte's arrest

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 11, 2025 01:19 PM PHT

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Updated March 12, 2025 11:46 AM PHT

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