Civil society groups warn Senate reso on Duterte shows his enduring influence

Metro Manila, Philippines - Civil society organizations have denounced a Senate resolution urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to place former President Rodrigo Duterte under house arrest, calling it a partisan move that underscores his lasting political influence in the Philippines.

In a joint statement, the Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court, CenterLaw, the Ateneo Human Rights Center, iDEFEND, and other groups said the non-binding measure undermines the ICC’s independence and risks further emboldening Duterte’s network of supporters.

“This Senate resolution reaffirms the dangerously wide influence and reach of Duterte and his network of supporters, with particular risk to surviving victims of crimes against humanity during the ‘war on drugs,’” the coalition said.

They warned that the resolution shows misplaced priorities.

“In drafting and approving such a resolution, the 15 supporting Senators have shown that they are willing to put the welfare of a former head of State accused of crimes against humanity of mass murder over the welfare of thousands of common citizens — in particular, those living at constant risk of harm, intimidation, or retaliation for speaking out about these past crimes?” the statement read.

The groups also pushed back against the idea that house arrest for the 80-year-old Duterte is necessary for humanitarian reasons. They said the ICC implements rigorous international standards to safeguard the physical, mental, and overall wellbeing of detainees with the frequent monitoring by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

They further cautioned lawmakers against shielding the former president from accountability:

“Rather than lobby for special circumstances in a transparent appeal for exception, the Philippine government should take a principled course that embraces cooperation with international institutions like the ICC and further refuse to shield perpetrators of human rights abuses and other atrocities through the special treatment and comforts of ‘house arrest,’ no matter their political standing.”

The groups emphasized that the Philippines should instead rejoin the Rome Statute if it wants to engage credibly with the Court.

The ICC, for its part, refrained from commenting on the Senate resolution. “There is a pending request before the Judges, and we can’t speculate on its outcome. It is for the ICC Judges to make a decision on this matter,” a Court spokesperson said.