Trillanes Breaks Silence on Duterte’s Arrest and ICC Custody
TRILLANES – Former Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV spoke out on Duterte’s arrest and transfer to ICC custody.
Trillanes has spoken out following the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. A longtime critic of Duterte, Trillanes took to social media to share his reaction, calling Duterte the “berdugo ng Davao” (butcher of Davao) and warning future leaders against abusing their power.
In a Facebook post, Trillanes wrote, “Si Duterte, ang berdugo ng Davao, ay pormal nang nai-turnover sa custody ng ICC sa The Hague, Netherlands. Sana po ay maging leksyon ito, sa kung sino mang maghahangad maging leader ng ating bansa, na dapat gamitin ang poder para lamang sa ikabubuti at ikauunlad ng mamamayan.”
Duterte’s arrest is linked to an ongoing ICC investigation into alleged crimes against humanity tied to his controversial war on drugs from 2016 to 2022. During his presidency, thousands of suspected drug offenders were reportedly killed in police operations and vigilante-style executions, which were widely condemned by human rights groups and international bodies.
Although the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019, the court ruled that it retained jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a member of the Rome Statute. This allowed the ICC to proceed with its investigation, ultimately leading to Duterte’s arrest and transfer to The Hague.
Trillanes also recalled that in 2017, his political group Magdalo filed a case against Duterte at the ICC, seeking justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings. He expressed gratitude to those who supported the effort over the years.
“Nung 2017, nagfile ng kaso ang Magdalo sa ICC laban kay duterte. After 8 years, sa WAKAS, nahuli na rin ang berdugo,” Trillanes tweeted. “Sa lahat ng nakasama namin sa mahabang lakbay na ito para sa hustisya ng mga libu-libong EJK victims, maraming salamat po!”
Duterte’s arrest has sparked mixed reactions from the public. While his supporters have condemned the move, critics view it as a significant step toward holding Duterte accountable for alleged human rights violations during his term.
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