Defensor on Duterte’s Arrest: ICC Ensures Fairness

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said former President Rodrigo Duterte will receive due process at the International Criminal Court (ICC), emphasizing the tribunal’s fairness.

“We believe in the fairness of the ICC and also the fairness of our courts,” Defensor said in a press conference Friday, March 14.

A lawyer by profession, Defensor highlighted the Philippine government’s obligation to cooperate with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) due to its membership and international commitments.

Despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC in 2019, the court retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a state party to the Rome Statute.

Duterte’s arrest on March 11 was facilitated by Interpol, of which the Philippines remains a member.

This enabled the execution of the ICC warrant through Interpol channels.

The country’s cooperation with Interpol is also backed by domestic legislation, particularly the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, which allows for the surrender of individuals to international courts.

“I understand that international law is part of our legal system, so we have to let due process take its course,” Defensor said.

Amid Duterte’s arrest, he urged the government to focus on pressing national issues such as food security and the West Philippine Sea rather than being sidetracked by political developments.

He also acknowledged the right of Duterte’s supporters to protest in Iloilo but stressed that demonstrations should not disrupt public order.

“You are free to exercise your civil liberties, but don’t disturb other people’s lives,” he said.

Duterte faces charges of murder as a crime against humanity before the ICC, linked to thousands of extrajudicial killings during his administration’s controversial war on drugs from 2016 to 2022.

Following his arrest, he was transferred to the ICC Detention Center in Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands, on March 12.

His initial hearing is expected in the coming days.