If the people come to understand where the charges against former president Rodrigo Duterte stemmed, then they will have a clearer understanding why it led to his arrest.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said this as she encouraged the public to learn more about Duterte's case in order to come to terms with his arrest and turnover to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"So ang mas maganda lamang dito ay malaman nila kung paano ba ito nagsimula? Bakit nagkaroon ng warrant of arrest? Bakit kailangang makipag-ugnayan sa Interpol? (It would be better to know how this started? Why was a warrant of arrest issued? Why did we have to coordinate with the Interpol)," Castro said in a Palace briefing on Wednesday, March 12.
The public must start from knowing why a case was filed before the ICC and why it led to issuing an arrest warrant.
Castro further said once the people learn when did the Philippines withdraw from the ICC, they will understand why the case still prospered even after the country's exit from the ICC.
"Dapat yun po sana ang masimulan sa taumbayan para maintindihan kung bakit kinakailngan po na mangyari ang ganito. Bakit kinakailangan din po tayong mag-comply sa ating commitment to the Interpol (The citizens must start there to understand why this happened. And why we had to comply with our commitment to the Interpol)," Castro said.
"So, akin pong palagay, kapag naintindihan nila ito lahat, magiging positibo ang tanaw nila sa ginawa ng administrasyon (So, I think when they understand this all, they will have a positive view of the administration's action), she added.
Why cry?
The charges against the former president, Castro stressed, were not made up, but were backed by evidence and statements.
She said the people should not be crying about this because the government was just doing its job.
"Bakit tayo ngayon umiiyak, samantalang pinapatupad lang naman natin kung ano ang nasa batas (Why are we crying, when we only enforced what our law states)," Castro argued.
The people must think and know the details of the case, she added.
"Dapat ang mga tao ngayon, ang mga kababayan natin ay mag-isip, alamin ano ba ang nangyayari. Ang kasong ito sa ICC ay hindi gawa gawa ng pamahalaan (The people must think and know what really happened. This case at the ICC was not made up by the government)," Castro said, citing that the case was filed during Duterte's term due to his bloody war on drugs policy.
"Bakit isisisi ang pag-i-issue ng warrant of arrest, ang pagpapadala sa kanya sa ICC kung siya mismo sinabi ni dating pangulong Duterte 'sue me, I will take all the legal responsibilities on this' (Why are you blaming the issuance of warrant of arrest, Duterte's turnover to the ICC when he, himself, said 'sue me, I will take all the legal responsibilities on this')," Castro said.
Duterte was placed under government custody at the Villamor Air Base after he arrived in Manila at 9:20 a.m. Tuesday, March 11, from Hong Kong.
At 11:03 p.m., the plane carrying Duterte departed Manila en route to The Hague, Netherlands, where he is set to face charges of crimes against humanity in connection with his war on drugs.
On Wednesday morning, it was confirmed that he has arrived in Dubai en route to the Netherlands.
Duterte was being investigated by the ICC due to his administration’s bloody "drug war."
According to police records, around 6,000 drug suspects died under Duterte's anti-illegal drug campaign but human rights groups estimated the number could go as high as 30,000, including those killed vigilante-style by motorcycle riding-in-tandem suspects.