Duterte's arrest sparks divided reactions

Former senator Leila de Lima—one of Duterte's fiercest critics who was arrested during his term—said it was "deeply personal."

"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," De Lima said. "While I was behind bars, thousands of Filipinos were killed without justice, their families left to grieve with no answers, no accountability."

"Today, Duterte is being made to answer—not to me, but to the victims, to their families, to a world that refuses to forget," she continued. "This is not about vengeance. This is about justice finally taking its course."

De Lima noted that she faced her case in the courts as she was innocent and had nothing to hide. "Duterte now has to answer for his actions, not in the court of public opinion, but before the rule of law," she added. "This is how justice should work—those in power must be held to the same standards as everyone else."

Akbayan Party-list First Nominee Chel Diokno said he stands with the families and victims of the extrajudicial killings during Duterte's drug war.

"Justice demands that this warrant be enforced without delay," Diokno said. "Duterte must be placed under the ICC’s jurisdiction immediately."

He noted that the Philippine government "must fully cooperate with the Interpol and the ICC, mobilizing all law enforcement agencies to bring him in."

Diokno noted that for decades, Duterte thought he was "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," he said.

Though Duterte's arrest was a "critical step towards justice," Diokno said the fight is far from over, as Duterte's 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 said. "To the Filipino people: let’s make sure Duterte doesn’t just run out of hiding places—let’s run him straight into the arms of justice. The road to accountability is long, but today, it just got a little shorter."

Peter Murphy, chairperson of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines, said, "there should be no special treatment for Duterte."

“The law must apply equally, and Duterte should face his day in court without preferential treatment,” he added.

Former senator Antonio Trillanes, another fierce Duterte critic, noted that it was his group, Magdalo, that filed a case against the former president before the ICC in 2017.

"After 8 years, sa WAKAS, nahuli na rin ang berdugo," Trillanes said. "Sa lahat ng nakasama namin sa mahabang lakbay na ito para sa hustisya ng mga libu-libong EJK victims, maraming salamat po!"

Bryony Lau, Deputy Asia Director of Human Rights Watch, said that Duterte's arrest is a "critical step for accountability in the Philippines."

“His arrest could bring victims and their families closer to justice and sends the clear message that no one is above the law," Lau said. "The Marcos government should swiftly surrender him to the ICC."

Reyna Valmores Salinas, spokesperson of the Makabayan coalition, said Duterte had it coming.

"Simula palang ito ng mas maraming hakbang para sa hustisya," Salinas said. "Bukod sa pag-aresto, itutuloy namin ang kampanya para tuluyan kang mahatulan ng ICC. At sisiguruhin naming hindi na muli mamamayani ang Duterte brand of impunity and injustice na pinalawig sa administrasyon mo."

She also lamented how she was repeatedly red-tagged, slandered, and sexualized, including being called a "New People's Army sex slave" during the Duterte administration.

She also recalled getting arrested after the Pride march, how a cop allegedly touched himself while she was in prison, and how uniformed personnel kept on following her even after getting free, even allegedly calling her family almost every day about "going to the mountains," alluding to militant activities.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said that Duterte's arrest is a "historic step towards justice and a blow to the regime of impunity that has been prevalent in the Philippines."

"We congratulate the 'drug war' victims and their lawyers, and we will continue to give our support to them and their quest for justice," Bayan said. "We call on the people to remain vigilant and to press the Marcos regime to ensure that justice will be served, without fear or favor."

It called on Filipinos to "not let this historic moment simply pass."

"Let us use it to call attention to the human rights crisis in the Philippines and the need to end extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations," it added. "Let this event serve as a warning to those who think that abuse of power will remain unpunished."

Duterte's defenders

Duterte had his fair share of supporters amid his arrest. His youngest daughter, Kitty, took to Instagram Story the situation, saying in all caps that he was under "illegal detention" and there's no "warrant of arrest."

In another story, Duterte, who was held at the Villamor Air Base upon his arrival to the Philippines from Hong Kong, questioned why he was arrested.

(Duterte and his closest allies went to Hong Kong amid the circulating rumors of his arrest days before.)

"What is the law, and what is the crime I committed?" he said. "Assure to me now the legal basis for my being here. I was brought here not of my own volition but somebody else's. You have to answer now for the deprivation of [my] liberty."

On Facebook, Harry Roque, former palace spokesman, claimed that Duterte's arrest was illegal, noting that the Philippines was no longer a member-state of the ICC. (Duterte ordered the withdrawal of the country's membership in 2018, and it officially took effect the following year.)

Roque also called on Duterte supporters to gather to protest his arrest.

Salvador Panelo, former chief presidential legal counsel, called Duterte's arrest "unlawful."

"The PNP didn't allow one of his lawyers to meet him at the airport and to question legal basis for PRRD's arrest," Panelo said. "He was deprived of legal representation at the time of his arrest."

Panelo noted that the PNP had no hard copy of the arrest warrant. He also called the arrest warrant "spurious," noting that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines. "The government action will make the arresting team as well as the public officials ordering the arrest criminally liable."

Duterte's son, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, said it's not about the PNP serving a warrant since they "cannot justify their actions." Instead, he shifted the blame to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., saying the arrest was a "political maneuver."

Lorraine Badoy, former spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, accused the Marcos administration of fascism.

‘Nagpakita na naman ng mukha ang Marcos administration kung sino siya," Badoy said. "Pasista, diktator."

She also claimed that Interpol's red notice, a "request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action," might be procured through Recto Avenue, a place in Manila that is said to forge documents.

Bong Go, Duterte's aide, posted photos and went live regarding the situation on the ground while outside the Villamor Air Base in Pasay, where Duterte was being held.

"Nakakalungkot. Sabi ko nga sa pulis, ipapaaresto nila ang tao na ginawa lang ang trabaho niya para sa bayan," said Go, who also brought ambulance and a box of pizza supposedly for Duterte.

Go was with Duterte's allies: Badoy, lawyer Vic Rodriguez, former Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, former Duterte Youth Party-List representative Ronald Cardema, and senatoriable Philip Salvador.

ICC arrest warrant

Atty. Kristina Conti, ICC assistant to counsel, said in an interview with GMA Network's Balitanghali that the ICC had issued the warrant of arrest, which was then forwarded to the Philippine government, the ICC member-states, and Interpol amid agreements on data-sharing.

Malacañang, in a statement, confirmed that Interpol Manila received an official copy of the ICC warrant of arrest during the wee hours.

Conti noted that no country can ignore Interpol's red notice, including China—which Duterte had warm ties with—and its special administrative region, Hong Kong.

She also explained that unlike Philippine courts that have to issue a subpoena or summons first, the ICC may go straight to serving a warrant of arrest even while the investigation is ongoing.

The ICC prosecutes crimes against humanity, which has 15 forms listed in its founding treaty the Rome Statute: murder, rape, imprisonment, enforced disappearances, enslavement (particularly of woman and children), sexual slavery, torture, apartheid, and deportation.

Conti also noted that an arrest warrant is typically done by surprise because it's highly likely that an accused may run away.

Marcos, meanwhile, last said that he will not block the ICC in its investigation.

"If that's the wish of (Duterte), we will not block ICC. We will not just cooperate," he said. "But if he agrees to be investigated, it is up to him."

Still, Marcos said the country has obligations to Interpol.

Contrary to Roque and Panelo's claim, the ICC, in its warrant, still had jurisdiction over Duterte's crimes against humanity as it focused on the killings that occurred while the Philippines was still a member-state.

The Philippines is also a member of Interpol, which can seek Duterte's arrest on behalf of the ICC. An Interpol representative was present during Duterte's arrest, according to the New York Times.

Duterte has been arrested for his alleged crimes against humanity over his bloody war on drugs following a warrant from the ICC.

He was immediately taken into police custody upon his arrival from Hong Kong on March 11.

The Prosecution applied for an arrest warrant for Duterte on Feb. 10 over crimes against humanity committed in the Philippines within Nov. 11, 2011 and March 16, 2019.

The warrant, obtained by The Philippine STAR, stated that he was being arrested for murder, torture, and rape—which is part of the 15 forms of crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute—that happened in his drug war.