It has been one hundred days since former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was placed under detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands—an event that has stirred intense emotion, sharp debate, and an undeniable sense of national introspection.
On March 11, 2025, the former president was arrested on charges of alleged crimes against humanity linked to his administration’s controversial war on illegal drugs. Since then, a man once at the helm of the Philippine Republic has spent each day not in the halls of power, but behind the walls of an international tribunal—a shift that has shaken both his supporters and critics alike.
Last Thursday, at Rizal Park in Davao City, candles flickered under a soft evening sky. Supporters of former President Duterte stood in prayer and solidarity, marking what they called a solemn milestone—100 days of unanswered questions, legal uncertainty, and emotional turbulence.
Atty. Martin Delgra, who represents the former president, did not temper his words. He spoke of legal inconsistencies, including concerns over Duterte’s departure for The Hague without proper travel documents. “It was a day of infamy,” Delgra declared, pointing to a chain of events he described as contrary to due process and legal procedure. That such a high-profile figure could be transported without basic diplomatic clearances raises questions about international protocols and the rights of state leaders, even after their term ends.
Beyond the legal arena, the emotional weight continues to press on the Duterte family. Congressman Paolo “Pulong” Duterte’s words resounded with pain and pride—his voice bearing the weight of a son’s anguish and a public servant’s conviction. “He is not a criminal. He is a man who gave his life to serve this nation,” he said. The lawmaker’s heartfelt appeal—to remember not only the leader but the human being behind the role—was not a plea for immunity but for empathy.
Simultaneously, gatherings in Cagayan de Oro and elsewhere echoed the sentiment that many supporters now carry: a growing cry for justice, clarity, and respect for due process. The event there, titled “100 Days of Injustice,” was less a protest than a vigil for answers—an assertion that questions must be met with transparency, not silence.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with Duterte’s methods is beside the point of this moment. The larger concern now lies in the integrity of global justice and the treatment of sovereign leaders after their terms of public service. The International Criminal Court, as a symbol of international accountability, must balance its pursuit of justice with fairness, clarity, and due regard for international norms.
One hundred days in detention is not merely a tick on the calendar. It is a measure of a man’s endurance, of a family’s pain, and of a nation’s unresolved debate. What comes next remains to be seen—but one hopes that in the pursuit of international justice, fairness will not become collateral damage.
