Emily Soriano was washing this week when a girlfriend rushed to her home with news of their pursuit of years to achieve justice.
In December 2016, the militants stormed a house in their poor neighborhood north of Manila and began shooting. They killed seven people, including three children and a pregnant woman. Mrs. Soriano and her friend, Isabelita Espinoza, lost each of them, both teenagers.
For the families of the victims, the massacre looked meaningless, like thousands of killings outside the judiciary during the war of former President Rodrigo Deuttri on drugs. Mrs. Soriano and Mrs. Espinoza have always been responsible for the death of their children – Angelito Soriano, 15, and Sony Espinoza, 16 – who say they were innocent.
Women said that the arrest of Mr. Doterti on Tuesday, on charges of crimes against humanity, was a prominent sign of accountability.
“What matters to me now is that justice is offered,” said Ms. Espinoza. “We do not allow these butchers and tyrants to stay in power. We must repeat.”
While he was in office, Mr. Dutus publicly encouraged violence, which the group of rights says tens of thousands have died. He promised immunity for police officers who targeted the authorities who were described as “drug suspects only.” Many were also killed by the Jews.
Mr. Doterti rose to the presidency campaign on the credentials of the law and order. He started his deadly campaign to combat antibiotics in the city of Davao, where the mayor was for years and was accused of managing the alleged death squad.
Between 2001 and 2007, Clarita Alia said that four of her children – all teenagers accused of young crimes – were killed at the request of Mr. Doterti. Over the past two decades, it has become a symbol of protesting against the killings in Davao, where the conversation against Mr. Doterti has been unimaginable.
Mrs. Alia said: “I am happy because he is imprisoned.” “Now, he will feel what the people he suffered feel.”
Mr. Doterti was arrested in Manila on Tuesday after the International Criminal Court issued an order accusing him of crimes against humanity. Hours later, he was transferred to The Hague, where both ICC and his detention facilities are based.
he An example in a hearing in the International Criminal Court Via video link on Friday. But his trial is not expected to start for several months.
In the consideration of the consideration, three court judges wrote that evidence that led them to believe that Mr. Dutert was personally responsible for the killings and attacks that were “spread and methodological”.
Mr. Duttti argued that the International Criminal Court has no jurisdiction in the Philippines because he withdrew his country from the court while he was president. But in the arrest order, the referees wrote that they were looking at the killings outside the judiciary while Manila was a member of the court. His supporters condemned his arrest and handing him over to the International Criminal Court as political persecution by the current president, Ferdinand R. Marcus Junior, Mr. Marcus said he complied with Interpol, who published the International Criminal Court order.
In Davao, the stronghold of Mr. Dutert was red tapes calling for the return of Mr. Dutert to be displayed in many parts of the city. Some of the residents had adhered to their cars at a support offer.
Ronald Kamino said only the criminals who were angry at Mr. Doterti. “Those who do good are the ones who are arrested,” he said.
In the Manila region, Mrs. Espinoza obtained the news of the arrest of Mr. Doterti in a text message. Soon after, she and Mrs. Soriano touched the gates of neighbors and gathered relatives of other drug war victims. Six other women and hundreds of them joined them that afternoon, and the candles lit up to celebrate the arrest of Mr. Dutti.
During this gathering, in the nearby city of Kwazon, Mrs. Espinoza cried to her son.
Mrs. Soriano said she is sharing a birthday with Mr. Doterti, who will be 80 years old on March 28. I want to tell him: “I am happy, this is a gift for me. But for you, it is bad luck because you will celebrate your birthday in prison. “
But some Filipinos struggled to treat their emotions.
Lenin, son of Rodrigo Pelon, was killed by a stray bullet during an exchange of fire in Kalukan in 2016, three days before he reached the tenth.
Mr. Bilon said that celebrating the celebration of Mr. Dertt also means restoring this terrible event. At that time, the police chief of Sayyid Dutti, Ronald Della Rosa, who is now a member of the Senate, rejected Lenin’s death as side damage to the drug war.
“Is this what they call justice?” Mr. Pelon said. “Will justice be truly from the International Criminal Court?”
He wondered why a foreign court, not the Philippine government, was carrying Mr. Dotrt.
“Isn’t the government assumed to help people like us?” Mr. Pelon said.
Marleise Simons She contributed to the reports from Paris.
https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/03/14/multimedia/14duterte-victims-01-gvmh/14duterte-victims-01-gvmh-facebookJumbo.jpg
Source link