Trillanes Breaks Silence on Duterte’s Arrest
TRILLANES – Former Senator Sonny Trillanes IV took to social media to comment on Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and transfer to the ICC in The Hague.
Former Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV has broken his silence following the arrest and transfer of former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. Trillanes, a vocal critic of Duterte, took to social media to express his thoughts, describing Duterte as the “berdugo ng Davao” (butcher of Davao) and warning future leaders against abusing power.
On Facebook, 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 stems from an ICC investigation into alleged crimes against humanity linked to his controversial war on drugs during his presidency from 2016 to 2022. Thousands of suspected drug offenders were reportedly killed in police operations and vigilante-style executions, drawing condemnation from human rights groups and international bodies.
Despite the Philippines’ withdrawal 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 paved the way for Duterte’s arrest and subsequent transfer to ICC custody.
Trillanes recalled that in 2017, his political group Magdalo filed a case against Duterte at the ICC, seeking justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings (EJK). Following Duterte’s arrest, Trillanes expressed gratitude to those who supported the case.
“Nung 2017, nagfile ng kaso ang Magdalo sa ICC laban kay Duterte. After 8 years, sa wakas, nahuli na rin ang berdugo,” he 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. Supporters have expressed outrage, while critics have welcomed the development as a significant step toward accountability for the human rights violations committed during his administration.
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