1. Historic Trial: The "Crimes Against Humanity" Trial of an Asian President
On March 14, 2025, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, held its first pre-trial chamber for Rodrigo Duterte, the 80-year-old former President of the Philippines, who appeared via video link. This marked the first time in the 23 years since the ICC's establishment that a former Asian head of state was tried for "crimes against humanity." In the courtroom, a panel consisting of two white judges and one black judge read out the charges related to the thousands of deaths caused by the "war on drugs" launched during his tenure.
Duterte remained silent in front of the camera, his lips twitching slightly only when he heard the term "extrajudicial killings." Known for his iron-fisted rule, he appeared like a piece of quenched steel—cold on the surface but still seething inside.
2. Cycle of Fate: From "The Butcher of Davao" to Prisoner
1. An Outsider in Dynastic Politics
Born in Maasin City, Leyte Province in March 1945, Duterte's detail is often overlooked. His father, a lesser-known member of the Cebu Duterte family, moved to Davao, the "city of sin" on Mindanao Island in 1949 to escape family oppression. Young Duterte developed a dual personality here: a law school honor student and a street thug who stabbed passersby.
2. Davao's Violent Experiment
In 1988, at the age of 43, Duterte became the mayor of Davao City and pioneered a "vigilante governance" model:
He formed the "Davao Death Squad," with members confessing to participating in over 50 executions.
He personally patrolled the streets on a motorcycle, executing criminals on the spot.
Drug dealers were encased in concrete columns and dumped into the sea.
This "violence against violence" approach reduced Davao's murder rate by 75%, but also sowed the seeds of today's trial.
3. War on Drugs: A Political Gamble with 6,000 Lives
After being elected President in 2016, Duterte extended the Davao model nationwide:
Reward System: The highest bounty for killing a drug dealer was 750,000 RMB.
National Mobilization: Citizens could "legally execute" those involved in drugs.
Results and Costs: Official statistics report 6,252 people killed, while human rights organizations claim the actual number exceeds 30,000.
"When the judicial system needs five years to prosecute a drug dealer, a bullet only needs five seconds." His 2017 televised speech, waving a handgun, became central evidence for Western media's accusations of "crimes against humanity."
4. Political Betrayal: The Fatal Blow from the Marcos Family
In 2022, Duterte reached a "power-sharing" agreement with his arch-enemy, the Marcos family: supporting young Marcos to become president in exchange for his daughter Sara taking over in 2028. However, political allies soon turned against each other:
In 2023, young Marcos refused to appoint Sara as Defense Minister.
In 2024, the Speaker of the House, Romualdez (Marcos's cousin), pushed for Sara's impeachment.
In retaliation, Duterte exposed a video of young Marcos using drugs.
Ultimately, young Marcos used cooperation with the ICC investigation as a bargaining chip and sent Duterte on a plane to The Hague in March 2025.
5. The Geopolitical Game Behind the Trial
1. The Double Standards of the United States
Although the Biden administration criticized Duterte for "human rights violations," it remained silent on the drug issues of its ally, young Marcos, whose family was exposed by Philippine media for close ties with drug lords.
2. China's Strategic Dilemma
During Duterte's tenure, China-Philippines relations significantly improved, but China adhered to the principle of "non-interference in internal affairs." His daughter Sara is still seen as a pro-China leader, making Beijing extremely cautious in its statements.
6. The Historical Fate of Third World Strongmen
From Milosevic to Bashir, among the 11 former heads of state tried by the ICC, 9 were from developing countries. The Duterte case reaffirms:
The Strongman Paradox: Those who restore order through illegal means are ultimately judged by order.
Tool of Major Powers: International judicial institutions often become geopolitical weapons.
Public Opinion Divide: 80% of the Philippine population still supports the war on drugs, highlighting a fierce clash between Western human rights perspectives and local realities.
Epilogue: Farewell by the Crocodile Pond
On March 13, Duterte recorded his final statement in a detention center in The Hague:
"Tell all the military and police: I am here to take responsibility.
Tell my daughter: Never leave the Philippines.
Tell history: I'd rather be a hated doer than a fondly remembered coward."
As the camera shut off, the president who once fed drug dealers to crocodiles now stared at the cold Dutch canal outside the detention center. Beneath the surface of the water, not only his fate but also the collective plight of all third-world countries struggling between order and violence was stirring.
