China came to the defense of former President Rodrigo Duterte following his arrest on the back of an International Criminal Court warrant tied to his deadly war on drugs yesterday.
ASEAN parliamentarians and international rights groups, however, hailed his arrest, calling it a “decisive step in the fight against impunity.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning warned the ICC against its alleged “politicization” and “double standards.”
“China has noted the relevant information and is closely monitoring the development of the situation,” she told a briefing in Beijing when asked about Duterte’s arrest.
The ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, for its part, said the issuance of a red notice against Duterte “underscores the global imperative to hold perpetrators of crimes against humanity accountable.”
“No individual, regardless of power or position, is above the law. Justice for the victims is non-negotiable,” said Mercy Chriesty Barends, chairperson of APHR and a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives.
Rangsiman Rome, APHR Board Member and Thai Member of Parliament, added: “This landmark arrest is a beacon for international human rights, affirming that accountability is the cornerstone of a just society.”
“Duterte must be held accountable for all of his crimes against the Filipino people. He has to be responsible not only for the human rights violations committed during the ‘war on drugs’ but also for the ‘war on dissent,’ which curtailed meaningful democratic participation by parliamentarians and civil society alike,” said Charles Santiago, APHR co-chairperson and a former member of the Malaysian parliament.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch Deputy Asia Director Bryony Lau called Duterte’s arrest “a critical step for accountability in the Philippines.”
“His arrest could bring victims and their families closer to justice and send the clear message that no one is above the law. The Marcos government should swiftly surrender him to the ICC,” Lau said.
Agnes Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International, added: “Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest is a long-awaited and monumental step for justice for the thousands of victims and survivors of his administration’s ‘war on drugs,’ which turned much of the Philippines into a nation of mourning. The man who said ‘my job is to kill’ oversaw the killing of victims – including children – as part of a deliberate, widespread, and well-organized campaign of state-sanctioned killings.”
Callamard, however, said accountability must not stop with Duterte’s arrest, noting that “he is not the only one suspected of criminal responsibility.”
Among the named primary respondents in the crime against humanity case lodged before the ICC is Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who was chief implementer of Duterte’s war on drugs as then national police chief.
Secondary respondents include Vice President Sara Duterte and other police officials involved in the drug war. With AFP