Statement of Leila de Lima on the Arrest of Former President Rodrigo Duterte by the ICC
11 March 2025
This is deeply personal for me.
For almost seven years, I was imprisoned on fabricated charges, accused of crimes I did not commit—all because I dared to speak out against Duterte’s drug war. While I was behind bars, thousands of Filipinos were killed without justice, their families left to grieve with no answers, no accountability.
Today, Duterte is being made to answer—not to me, but to the victims, to their families, to a world that refuses to forget. This is not about vengeance. This is about justice finally taking its course.
I faced my case, knowing I was innocent. I stood before the courts because I had nothing to hide. Duterte now has to answer for his actions, not in the court of public opinion, but before the rule of law. This is how justice should work—those in power must be held to the same standards as everyone else.
To those who have fought this long and difficult fight—your voices mattered, your courage mattered, and today, the pursuit of justice continues.
Grabe, ang historic talaga ng mga Duterte!
- Sara Duterte: Unang Vice President ng Pilipinas na ma-impeach,
- Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte: Unang head of state ng Pilipinas na arestuhin ng isang international tribunal.
'Yan ang #DuterteLegacy. #TatakDuterte.
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#DutertePanagutin
“Yung aking pamangkin, hindi nga nadala sa korte… Mapalad ang ating pangulo dahil mabibigyan siya ng pagkakataon na ipagtanggol ang kaniyang sarili.”
Randy Delos Santos, uncle of slain teenager Kian Delos Santos, criticized the irony of former President Rodrigo Duterte receiving due process—a right denied to Kian and thousands of others killed in the controversial war on drugs. @News5PH@onenewsph
BREAKING NEWS: The Philippine National Police arrests former president Rodrigo Duterte for his alleged crimes against humanity.
Duterte had been the subject of International Criminal Court investigations for the thousands of people killed in his brutal war on drugs waged when he was mayor of Davao City and later when he became Philippine president in 2016.
“Hirap na hirap na kami. Nagpapasalamat ako na nahuli na si Duterte. Sana makulong siya, mamatay na siya sa kulungan.”
Families of extrajudicial killing victims gathered to seek justice for the loved ones they lost in former President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs. For nearly nine years, they never lost hope that this day would come—the chance to finally hold Duterte accountable.
Eunila, who lost her son-in-law and is now raising her grandchild, could not hold back her emotions.
@News5PH@onenewsph
“yung hustisyang ang hirap kamitin sa pilipinas, sa international pa namin nakuha”
Mother of drug war victim Katherine Bautista recalls her son's death as former president Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested by the Philippine National Police.
🎥 Archers Network
This was swift: The Philippine authorities have already surrendered former President Duterte to the ICC in The Hague to face trial for the alleged crimes against humanity of murder.
The man who said, ‘my job is to kill’ and who oversaw the shootings to death of victims – including children – as part of a deliberate, widespread and well-organized campaign of state-sanctioned killings
the man who once was all-powerful, so much so that he could openly threaten anyone who questioned his war on drugs;
This man is now on his way to the Hague and an ICC jail.
To all those in power now who think they are above the law - think twice, think carefully.
Time will come: you will not enjoy impunity forever, no matter how powerful you are now.
Biden: The wealthiest man in the world is his ally. Well, that wealthiest man in the world turned out to be an illegal worker… He’s talking about all these illegals coming our way?
The stakes of this election couldn't be higher.
Thank you to @RubenGallego and the men who sat down with us in Tucson last week to talk about their concerns, their hopes, and what this election means for them and their families.
LOOK: Former Vice President Leni Robredo braves waist-deep flood waters to deliver relief goods to those affected by severe tropical storm Kristine in Naga City. |📷 : Egine Oquindo Baral/Facebook via Alliah Jalimao, https://t.co/E0yNJSWXKw trainee
• Follow live updates for #KristinePH: https://t.co/4IR6vkEkC3
Tim Walz on Taylor Swift endorsement: I'm grateful to Taylor Swift and I say that as a cat owner. That was eloquent and clear and that’s the type of courage we need in America
Kamala, very calm and cool, looked trump in the face, told him the world was laughing at him, and that he was confused and lacked the temperament.
trump is COOKED.
Congressman Benny Abante SINUPALPAL si Vice President Inday Sara Duterte
Right off the bat, can we give this man his flowers?
Congressman Benny Abante just stole the show at the OVP's 2025 budget deliberation!
When Vice President Sara Duterte tried to dodge questions and accuse the budget hearing of being politicized, Abante schooled her on courtesy and decorum like a true pro.
His stand against the Vice President’s condescending behavior was the real highlight of the day!
The question Rep. Abante posed to VP Sara was simple: Does the Vice President believe that the House of Representatives, as representatives of the people, have the right to scrutinize the budget of every government agency?
VP Sara, ready with her script, did not give a straight answer—something that didn’t sit well with Rep. Abante.
Congressman Benny Abante didn’t mince words: “Why do you have to explain?”
But instead of giving Rep. Abante the courtesy of a simple answer to a simple question, what did we witness instead?
Evasion, immaturity, and a public meltdown.
Clearly, the Vice President is hiding something—and this isn’t just any issue; it’s about public funds!
EXCLUSIVE: China shoots flares at least three times at a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) plane conducting a maritime patrol with the Philippine Coastguard in Subi Reef or Zamora Reef on August 22, 2024 @24orasgma@gmanews
Hoy
Literally just hours after Sandiganbayan reversed all bribery convictions against Jinggoy Estrada (FL?), this video surfaced & has gone viral showing. Jinggoy was caught bullying an ordinary citizen, his aide about to pull out a lethal weapon against the unarmed civilian.
@AttackPig00@HouseofRepsPH Harry Roque’s corporation in 2017 is worth 1.5M.
But he was able to invest at FHBMC the following amounts:
35M - assets
60M - in cash
125M - in advance
Math is not mathing. Because BUDOL is life for Hariruki.
NEW: We've filed a request with @StateDept & @TheJusticeDept to investigate @realDonaldTrump for violations of the Logan Act by negotiating with PM Netanyahu on behalf of the US. That is illegal and got @GenFlynn in a heap of trouble.
@NnPnemck @NewsSportsINC @kelsientaggart Kamala is not the sitting president. It's important to direct your concerns and rally your cause to the appropriate person holding that office.