Escudero: Service of warrant for Duterte shows PH commitment to int'l agreements

The service of the International Criminal Court-issued warrant of arrest for former President Rodrigo Duterte reflects the Philippines' commitment to upholding international agreements, Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero said Wednesday.

The Senate president issued the statement a day after Philippine authorities arrested Duterte, who is now en route to The Netherlands as of posting time to face the charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.

"The peaceful and orderly service of the Interpol warrant—carried out without incident—reflects our nation's commitment to upholding international agreements, as well as the maturity, civility, calm, and professionalism of all those involved: our law enforcement authorities, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, his lawyers, and his supporters," Escudero said in a statement.

Amid Duterte's arrest, Escudero said this "will undoubtedly elicit diverse reactions shaped by differing perspectives on the allegations against the former president, from the families of victims of extra-judicial killings to his loyal supporters."

While debate and disagreement are "natural in a democracy," the Senate President urged Filipinos to approach the development with restraint and respect as displayed by both sides on Tuesday.

He also called on those who are running in the 2025 national and local elections to "refrain from using this issue to fan the flames of partisanship in order to further their candidacies as this is a serious issue that involves lives and should not be trifled with for petty personal or political gain."

"It is in our nation's best interests to demonstrate our strength not by division, but by our capacity to rise above our differences and to collectively and peacefully uphold justice and accountability," Escudero said.

House leaders

Escudero’s statements that Duterte’s arrest is legal were echoed by House leaders also on Wednesday.

“We have to remember that the effectivity of the withdrawal of the Philippine government under the Rome Statute took effect last March of 2019. The case was filed prior to its withdrawal. In other words, the ICC has already acquired jurisdiction over it. The investigation has already started,” Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon said in a press conference.

“The issuance of the warrant was coordinated with the Interpol, of which the Philippine government is a party. And being a party, we have the obligation, and we are duty-bound to have this warrant of arrest implemented,” Bongalon added.

House Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog Party-list rep. Jude Acidre as well as House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V said Duterte’s ICC trial should be allowed to proceed as it is according to international and local laws of serving justice.

“This is about [an alleged] crime. Extrajudicial killings will always be illegal. It will always be against the law. This case is not a choice between justice and mercy. We have to apply the rule of law. Somebody has to pay for what happened to the victims of drug war killings, regardless of their high-ranking position in our government,” Acidre said.

“Hindi pwedeng pabor lahat sa'yo. You have to be accountable for your actions. Hindi naman pwedeng maghari-harian ka na lang habang buhay. Hindi natutulog ang hustisya. Bilog ang bola,” Ortega added.

(You can’t expect everything to turn in your favor. You can act like a king forever. Justice does not sleep. Anything can happen at any time.)

In a press briefing late Tuesday night, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Interpol Manila received an official copy of the ICC warrant hours before Duterte's arrival from Hong Kong.

The President said the arrest was done "because Interpol asked us to do it and we have commitments."

He said the arrest was proper and correct, wherein "every single necessary procedure" was followed.

Marcos also denied that the arrest of Duterte was a violation of Philippine sovereignty.

The President's justification of Duterte's arrest was different from his 2024 statement or before the political bickering between him and Duterte's camp worsened, saying his administration would not serve any arrest warrant from the ICC against his predecessor as the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the Philippines.

The plane carrying Duterte arrived in Dubai at around 8:03 a.m. Wednesday (Manila time) for a layover. It left the Philippines on Tuesday at 11:03 p.m. Tuesday. — VDV, GMA Integrated News