Duterte should be detained for life – Fr. Flavie

MANILA, Philippines —  Ramon Magsaysay awardee Fr. Flavie Villanueva yesterday said Rodrigo Duterte should remain detained in The Hague, Netherlands “for life,” as the former president marked the first anniversary of his arrest.

“Duterte, who ordered the killings, you will be in The Hague for life. Don’t be sad because Senators (Ronald) Bato (dela Rosa) and Bong Go will be with you,” Villanueva said in his homily as he officiated a mass for drug war victims, to mark the first anniversary of the arrest of Duterte.

Go, long-time aide of the former president, has been named one of the “co-perpetrators” along with Dela Rosa and six others in an official International Criminal Court (ICC) document.

Villanueva leads the Arnold Janssen Kalinga Center and Program Paghilom, which are helping the families of victims of the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war.

The former president was arrested for crimes against humanity upon his arrival from Hong Kong on March 11 last year and was flown hours later to The Hague in the Netherlands, headquarters of the ICC.

VP hits ‘kidnap’

Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte said the “extraordinary rendition or kidnapping” of her father is a serious reminder that the law should not be used as a “weapon for political or personal interests.”

“Today, we commemorate the first anniversary of an event that tested our democracy and the principles of due process and rule of law,” she said in a video message.

“Violating an individual’s rights through irregular processes is not only an attack on justice, it is a challenge to our national sovereignty,” the Vice President added.

The Philippine government enforced an ICC arrest warrant coursed through the Interpol initially through a “diffusion request” – a mechanism for arresting wanted persons that is sent directly to a state and kept confidential.

“A truly free country is run by its own institutions free from any external interference or dictates. This anniversary is a call for all of us to remain vigilant,” the Vice President said.

“No Filipino should be denied the protection of our Constitution. Together, let us promote a Philippines where the law is the shield of justice and our sovereignty is respected by all,” she added.

The Vice President attended a mass at San Pedro Cathedral in Davao City to commemorate the first anniversary of the arrest of her father.

Justice milestone

For Akbayan, Duterte’s detention at the ICC is a historic milestone in the fight for justice.

“For one year now, the Filipino people have been spared the daily spectacle of Duterte’s authoritarian bluster, misogynistic remarks and violent rhetoric that normalized cruelty and killing in our public life,” Akbayan president Rafaela David said.

Likewise, rights group Karapatan urged the ICC to confirm the crimes against humanity charges against Duterte. - Emmanuel Tupas