Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been detained and sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, due to his involvement in mass killings during the war on drugs. This has sparked strong reactions from his supporters and rumors on social media, prompting urgent clarifications by the military and police to prevent social unrest.
The ICC accuses Duterte of condoning the extrajudicial execution of suspects by law enforcement during his presidency from 2016 to 2022, involving "crimes against humanity." The Philippine government arrested Duterte on March 11 following a request from Interpol and swiftly arranged a special flight to the Netherlands. He appeared via video link for the preliminary hearing on March 14.
Duterte's approval ratings remained high throughout his term, reaching as high as 91% and still at 88% even after his tenure. The footage of him being escorted to the plane brought many supporters to tears in front of their TVs, and social media was flooded with rumors of military and police personnel resigning in dissatisfaction with Duterte's arrest.
Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Jean Fajardo and military spokesperson Francel Margareth Padilla have repeatedly denied rumors of mass resignations among the military and police, emphasizing internal order and loyalty to the government.
Additionally, in response to a video circulating on social media showing police officers crying while escorting Duterte, Fajardo stated that due to the hot weather in the Philippines and the heavy police uniforms, sweating is normal and should not be overinterpreted.
Duterte's drug policy has sparked significant controversy in Philippine society. Opponents argue that the police bypass judicial procedures in drug operations, depriving suspects of their right to a fair trial, especially since the death penalty has been abolished in the Philippines and extrajudicial killings should not be allowed. Supporters believe that due to deteriorating public safety and criminals often being released due to loopholes in the judicial system, only Duterte's strong-arm tactics can truly deter crime.
The Philippines has experienced two successful "People Power" revolutions and several failed military coups. Thus, there were concerns that Duterte's transfer to The Hague might lead to social unrest.
However, analysts believe that the Marcos Jr. administration has taken preventive measures, and as an archipelagic country, Duterte's main supporters are concentrated in the central Visayas and southern Mindanao, making it difficult to organize large-scale protests in a short time.
Security affairs website MaxDefense Philippines points out significant miscalculations in the Duterte family's political strategy, including failing to nurture a reliable successor before leaving office, falling out with successor President Marcos Jr., and underestimating the political skills of their opponents, leading to a rapid decline in the family's influence.
Furthermore, Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, also faces impeachment trials in Congress over allegations of threatening to assassinate Marcos Jr., further exacerbating the political crisis for the Duterte family.
As the ICC trial proceedings progress, Duterte's case will continue to impact Philippine politics, with future developments closely watched.
