THE arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte initiated by the International Police (Interpol) and the eventual litigation of his alleged crimes against humanity before the International Court of Justice (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.
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, lead chair of the Lower House’s Quad Committee and chair of the Dangerous Drugs panel, says the significance of this development is that it would restore public’s trust in the justice system, and those who violated laws will be held accountable and tried in court.
“Ito ay patunay na sa ating bansa, sa Bagong Pilipinas, na walang sinuman ang nasa ibabaw ng batas,” he said, adding “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.”
The lawmaker from Mindanao said the previous administration’s bloody war on drugs, the mandated coming up of high stats for anti-drug ops and kills, has emboldened the country’s law enforcers to abandon their motto of “serve and protect” and adopted a new culture of impunity, blind eye to justice and disrespect to people’s rights.
“Sa halip na itaguyod ang hustisya, binuksan nito ang pintuan para sa culture of impunity sa hanay ng ating law enforcers, na isantabi and batas at hustisya sa sa mga suspects pa lang, at pagpapatupad ng karahasan na nagdulot ng pagkamatay ng mga inosenteng mamamayan,” Barbers said.
He said the former President’s arrest can be seen as a potential healing catalyst for families whose loved ones unjustifiably became statistics for EJKs.
“Panahon na upang maghilom ang ating bansa. Ang unang hakbang sa paghilom ay ang pagkilala sa mga pagkakamali ng nakaraan at ang pagbibigay ng hustisya sa mga biktima.”
Legal experts believe that Duterte’s arrest could set a precedent, reinforcing the principle that no one is above the law. As the legal process unfolds, there is a growing call for reforms within the country’s justice and law enforcement systems to prevent government’ officials’ abuse of power in the future.
“Ang pag-aresto na ito ay hindi lamang tungkol sa isang tao,” Barbers concluded. “Ito ay tungkol sa pagbabalik ng tiwala ng publiko sa ating sistema ng hustisya at sa pagtiyak na ang mga pang-aabuso, sa pangkasalukuyan man o nuong sa nakaraan ay hindi na mauulit.”
Barbers noted that the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the nation’s commitment to human rights, justice, and the rule of law, with the international community closely monitoring the developments on Duterte’s arrest and eventual litigation of his alleged crimes against humanity before the ICC.
