De Lima on Duterte’s arrest: Justice is finally taking its course 

The arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte marks a significant moment for the victims of his administration’s war on drugs, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Filipinos allegedly involved in illegal drugs, former Senator Leila de Lima said on Tuesday.

“This is deeply personal for me. 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 and no accountability,” De Lima said in a statement.

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

De Lima, a staunch critic of Duterte’s drug war, was imprisoned for nearly seven years on what she maintains were politically motivated drug charges during the Duterte administration.

“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,” she said.

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

Duterte was arrested early Tuesday upon his arrival at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. He had attended a Kingdom of Jesus Christ-hosted event with overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong on Sunday.

Duterte is facing charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in relation to his administration's war on drugs.

Government data reports at least 7,000 deaths under Duterte's drug war. However, both local and international human rights groups argue the actual number of victims could be as high as 30,000.