MANILA, Philippines – Former Senator Leila de Lima, a staunch critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte, described his arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a long-overdue reckoning for the thousands of lives lost under his administration’s drug war.

“This is deeply personal for me,” de Lima said in a statement released on March 11, 2025. She recalled spending nearly seven years behind bars on what she maintained were politically motivated charges—retaliation, she said, for speaking out against Duterte’s controversial policies.

“For almost seven years, I was imprisoned on fabricated charges, accused of crimes I did not commit—all because I dared to speak out against Duterte’s drug war. While I was behind bars, thousands of Filipinos were killed without justice, their families left to grieve with no answers, no accountability,” she said.

With Duterte now in custody, De Lima described the moment as a step toward accountability—not just for her, but for the countless victims of extrajudicial killings.

“Today, Duterte is being made to answer—not to me, but to the victims, to their families, to a world that refuses to forget. This is not about vengeance. This is about justice finally taking its course,” she asserted.

De Lima also underscored the importance of due process, noting that she faced her own charges in Philippine courts and was eventually acquitted. She challenged Duterte to do the same.

“I faced my case, knowing I was innocent. I stood before the courts because I had nothing to hide. Duterte now has to answer for his actions, not in the court of public opinion, but before the rule of law. This is how justice should work—those in power must be held to the same standards as everyone else.”

Ending her statement on a note of gratitude, De Lima acknowledged the efforts of those who fought for justice, particularly human rights advocates and the families of drug war victims.

“To those who have fought this long and difficult fight—your voices mattered, your courage mattered, and today, the pursuit of justice continues,” she said.

Duterte’s arrest marks a historic moment in Philippine politics, as he becomes the first former president to be taken into custody by an international tribunal. His case before the ICC stems from allegations of crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s violent crackdown on illegal drugs.

📷 Leila de Lima FB