The Duterte Legacy of Crimes Against the Environment⚖️
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On March 11, 2025, the arrest warrant formally issued by the International Criminal Court would be served by the Philippine National Police and the Interpol in Operation Pursuit to former president Rodrigo Duterte under the charges of crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody campaign against drugs which led to the deaths of hundred Filipinos.
The warrant was executed when Duterte arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International AIrport (NAIA) after attending a campaign rally in Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai District, Hong Kong organized by PDP-Laban. During the event, thousands of Filipino expatriates cheered former president Rodrigo Duterte as he delivered his speech.
“Assuming na totoo [pertaining to the charges], totoo talaga ang naririnig ninyo. Bakit ko ginawa yan para sa sarili ko? Para sa pamilya ko? Para sa inyo at ang inyong mga anak sa ating bayan,” states Duterte as the crowd roars in thunderous applause.
He had also shared to the crowd the news of the warrant and debunked all narratives that implied his attempt to evade arrests. In his expletive-laden speech, he stated that the warrant was not true and that the ICC had chased after him for the longest time. On February 10, 2025 the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC applied for a warrant of arrest against Duterte.
ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I found reasonable grounds for arrest on March 7 in his role in perpetuating the charges laid before him with the arrest warrant being publicized on the same day he was taken into custody. He was held custody in Villamor Airbase for hours with his former administrative staff attempting to stop the arrest.
A petition for certiorari and prohibition filed by Duterte and Senator Bato dela Rosa was received by the Supreme Court which requested the prevention of Philippine authorities from cooperating with the ICC. Vice President Sara Duterte also brokered official authority from the Office of the President to travel abroad for the period of March 11 to April 30.
However, all of these efforts to evade arrest would be for naught as a Gulfstream G550 aircraft headed for the Hague left Villamor Air Base at 11:03 pm with former-president Rodrigo Duterte. As the plane left Philippine airspace, a brief sigh from everyone was felt across the nation.
A sigh of relief from all the mothers whose life was brutally disturbed by the trappings of a fascist state. A sigh of relief from the siblings who were robbed of a brother or a sister to venture with into their most pivotal years. A sigh of relief from all the activists who lost countless numbers of their ranks due to the tightening repression on any form of dissent.
As a member of the broad coalition of environmental defenders who felt the brunt of the Duterte Administration’s draconian measures, the Climate Change Network for Community-based Initiatives (CCNCI) remembers our colleagues whose lives were taken away by a fascist state’s tightening grip on dissent.
We also join all the relatives of the victims of Rodrigo Duterte’s fascism in their continued campaign for justice and accountability. As environmental defenders, we have become all too familiar with state repression and as the country remains the most dangerous for our line of work, we register our unwavering commitment amidst unsurmountable odds.
CCNCI visually displays the journey of the families of victims of extrajudicial killings throughout the multiple hearings on the confirmation of charges conducted by the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court.
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References
Aspinwall, N. (2021, January 1). 9 Indigenous Leaders Killed by Philippine Police in “Massacre.” Thediplomat.com. https://thediplomat.com/.../9-indigenous-leaders-killed.../
Chavez, L. (2021, April 15). “Complete turnaround”: Philippines’ Duterte lifts ban on new mining permits. Mongabay Environmental News. https://news.mongabay.com/.../complete-turnaround.../
Enano, J. (2022, June 18). After 6 years, Duterte leaves Philippine environment, its defenders in crisis. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/.../duterte-leaves-philippines.../
Feliciano, G. (2024, October 20). Anti-Mining Activists Killed in Alarming Numbers Under Duterte. Earth Journalism Network; EJN. https://earthjournalism.net/st ories/anti-mining-activists-killed-in-alarming-numbers-under-duterte
Human Rights Philippines. (2022, July 14). Puroy dela Cruz, Randy dela Cruz - Human Rights Philippines. Human Rights Philippines. https://humanrightsph ilippines.org/case-studies/puroy-dela-cruz-randy-dela-cruz/
Ramos, M. (2023, March 30). Indigenous Filipinos fight plans to build a dam on their land. Context. https://www.context.news/.../indigenous-filipinos-fight...
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