Former President Rodrigo Duterte has been the object of controversy now that he is no longer president and the International Criminal Court (ICC) is running after him so he could be prosecuted for his bloody war on drugs campaign when he was still the chief executive.
But though he is no longer in office, it’s not going to be that easy for the ICC. The incumbent president, Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. does not allow it. He is not giving his consent that the former president is prosecuted by this foreign body of prosecutors. They have to ask permission from the president to be able to do that. And consent is not being granted so such prosecution is not likely to push through.
President Marcos Jr. maintains his stand regarding the issue. The ICC accordingly does not have jurisdiction over this case. Moreover, the drug war was part of Duterte’s internal policy and as such, no international body ought to intervene. Besides, the justice system in the country is functional and working. ICC can only intervene if a country’s justice system no longer works. But in the Philippines, it works, hence the decline of ICC’s prosecution offer.
From the critics’ point of view, however, President Marcos Jr. is just trying to save the old man from “criminal” liabilities, the two of them being allies politically. Instead of allowing the ICC to pursue justice for the victims, the president puts a stumbling block. The Duterte and Marcos supporters, on the other hand, see the ICC as intruders to our sovereignty, the prosecution job being none of their business, but is just politically motivated, courtesy of the Marcos-Duterte enemies.
Those citizens who hate drugs are wishing Duterte were still president so that drug trade and use will continually decline. Now that he is out of office as the former president, illegal drugs had once again proliferated in the country, threatening the youths, peace and order, and the future of our nation.
In the event of war
If China finally decides to attack the five countries claiming territorial ownership in the West Philippine Sea, namely: Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, and the Philippines, what would the Filipinos do? Based on what I hear from random discussions about the issues, they will resort to doing the following:
One option is to leave the country and stay abroad as overseas workers or refugees, not just as individuals but as families. This entails a lot of money, for the processing of documents first, for the fares, and for some sort of capital in getting life started in the new territory. Thus, only the moneyed are considering this option. Those with no savings and who could not afford it have no choice but to opt for something else. For there, in those foreign lands, they would have to start life anew.
Another option is to escape to the hinterlands or remote areas close to the forests and mountains where they could hide from the invading forces. At least in those areas, families could be safe from enemy attacks, especially if there are no combatants there to target. But this calls for jungle survival. They would be vulnerable to hunger, deadly insects and wildlife, as well as diseases. They should have the necessary tools to survive in that harsh environment, not to mention the presence of equally dangerous elements such as the NPAs and other terrorists. The basic needs necessary for survival are hardly available there.
To some people, their only option in mind is to stay in their respective homes even if the enemies are already bombarding the vicinity, their soldiers setting houses afire, the men being dragged into the open and massacred by groups while the women are being raped here and there, the children thrown into the fire. No, they would not accordingly abandon their homes, even if the authorities are already ordering everyone to evacuate to safer places. They would rather die than abandon their homes and important belongings.
But some people find it stupid and cowardly to just let the enemies kill them without putting up a fight. They would rather that they die fighting for their families, loved ones, and friends. If the enemies are killing them, then they would endeavor to kill them in any way they can. Yes, they have superior weapons, but these brave countrymen are used to fighting foreign invaders with indigenous weaponry. They did it against the Spaniards, against the Americans, against the Japanese, and this time, against the Chinese. Why die helplessly when you can die while fighting back? That’s their argument which, from all angles, makes a better sense.
The abusive Chinese government, with its baseless claims of other countries’ territories, has been exhausting the Filipino patience, not learning from history. Just because they have a far superior military and weaponry, they are already bullying their smaller neighbors like the Philippines. They should learn to respect their neighbors, no matter what they are. Instead of setting a good example in this part of the world, China is playing the villain, destroying its image and reputation.