Members of the House of Representatives critical of the previous administration’s bloody drug war welcomed the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the instigator of the notorious campaign, on alleged charges of crimes against humanity.

Duterte, who returned to the country early Tuesday from Hong Kong, was met by authorities at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, where they served the arrest warrant against him issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has been rigorously investigating the summary killings in his anti-narcotics crackdown.

The 79-year-old Duterte is currently in police custody at Villamor Air Base as of press time. He is reportedly going to be fetched by an aircraft and flown to The Hague, Netherlands, the ICC’s headquarters.

Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. viewed it as ultimate proof that the international community “will not tolerate crimes against humanity” and that the perpetrators of the “extrajudicial killings” will be held to account despite years of impunity.

The Pampanga lawmaker, however, advised pro-Duterte allies to refrain from crying foul and linking his arrest to politics. He asserted that it is only imperative that the Philippine government respect international policies instead of shielding those accused of “grave human rights violations.”

“The ICC operates based on evidence, not politics. This is not about partisanship—this is about justice, accountability, and upholding human rights,” Gonzales stressed. “This is a clear message that no leader can escape justice forever. The Filipino people and the world demand answers, and Duterte must face the consequences of his actions.”

Quad comm chairperson Ace Barbers, who has led the parallel probe into Duterte’s brutal anti-drug campaign, deemed the arrest of the former tough leader a “pivotal” step toward justice and putting an end to the police’s aggressive approach to executing the government’s war against drugs.

The exhaustive probe of the mega panel had previously revealed that the so-called monetary rewards allegedly given to police in exchange for killing drug suspects had significantly influenced and manipulated the statistics by encouraging authorities to kill as many as possible.

“Instead of promoting justice, it opened the door to a culture of impunity among our law enforcers, setting aside the law and justice for suspects only, and committing violence that has resulted in the deaths of innocent citizens,” Barbers lamented.

House Deputy Majority Leader Paolo Ortega V, meanwhile, stressed that although there was a delay along the way for the families of slain victims, the arrest of Duterte marked a significant step toward the long-sought justice they had been fighting for years.

“Justice has no expiration date. The thousands of lives lost in the bloody war on drugs deserve to be remembered… Instead of playing the victim, former President Duterte should answer for his actions,” Ortega said.

Joining their allies, the Young Guns—Taguig Rep. Amparo Maria "Pammy" Zamora, Zambales Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, and Ako Bicol Rep. Jil Bongalon—welcomed this as a “victory for justice and accountability.”

“The ICC warrant is not just symbolic—it is a clear signal that no one is untouchable, not even a former president. Former President Duterte must face the consequences of his actions,” they said in a joint statement.

The opposition

Akbayan Rep. Perci Cendaña, an activist and crusader against human rights abuses, said that now that time is up for Duterte, he must face the music without any drama and take full responsibility for the thousands of deaths caused by his “morally bankrupt” drug war.

“The day of reckoning has come, and there’s no escape from justice. We're relieved that the world finally sees your legacy for what it is—grave human rights abuses, rampant corruption, and a thirst for power,” he stated. “The crimes you committed against humanity will always precede you.”

At the same time, Gabriela Partylist regarded it as a “product of years of relentless calls for accountability from families of victims, human rights defenders, and the international community.”

“It validates what we have been saying all along—that Duterte's so-called 'war on drugs' was nothing but state-sanctioned violence that targeted the poor and marginalized," it said.

Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel claimed that Duterte is still fortunate to have been calmly apprehended by the authorities following due process—which he “denied” to the victims of his war on drugs, who were “shot to kill during his presidency.”

For its part, ACT-Teachers Partylist said the arrest of Duterte shall “serve as a reminder that those responsible for human rights abuses must face the consequences of their actions."

Human rights lawyer and former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, however, noted that while the apprehension is considered “long overdue,” it still “sends a powerful message that justice can be achieved through perseverance and struggle.”

Nonetheless, he expressed optimism that the architects and implementers of the bloody policy will also be held accountable alongside the alleged principal instigator, Duterte.

Rejoin ICC

Meanwhile, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro and Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman have suggested that it is now high time for the Philippines to affiliate with the ICC anew following Duterte’s arrest.

Luistro is keen that the ICC is the “court of last resort,” which can intervene when the country’s judicial system could no longer “efficiently and effectively” handle controversial issues and cases of national concern.

“This is how I view the cases of extrajudicial killings which the quad [comm] already investigated. We have seen the evidence, but it’s kinda frustrating that the justice system here in the Philippines is very slow,” Luistro said.

“I hope we go back to the ICC. If this is a position that recognizes a rule-based order around the world, then let's walk the talk. Let's go back to the folds of the ICC because I believe we have nothing to fear… I also believe that our President [Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] is determined to uphold the rule of law and has nothing to hide," Roman chimed in.

The Philippines officially withdrew from the Rome Statute in March 2019 pursuant to Duterte’s order after the international tribunal opened a preliminary investigation into his bloody drug war.

However, the ICC asserted that it still retains jurisdiction over any potential crimes against humanity that occurred prior to the country’s withdrawal.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin earlier confirmed that the ICC moves and courses with Interpol, which shall request the Philippine government for the arrest or delivery of the custody of a person subject to ICC jurisdiction.

Due to this, Bersamin explained that the country will “respond favorably or positively to the Interpol” or the International Criminal Police Organization.

Interpol put Duterte on Red Notice alert after the ICC’s issuance of a warrant, leading to his apprehension at NAIA after returning from a thanksgiving event for overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong.

The ICC accused Duterte of crimes against humanity for the deaths of more than 7,000 individuals under his war on drugs. The figures are based on the government’s data.

However, local and international human rights organizations estimated that the figures were a far cry from the actual death toll, probably exceeding 30,000, predominantly affecting low-income families and communities.

During a congressional hearing last year, Duterte said he takes "full, legal responsibility” for the summary killings committed by the police at the height of his drug war.

He also admitted under oath that he encouraged police to provoke drug suspects to fight back as a pretext to kill them.

The ICC, which started probing Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign as early as 2018, temporarily halted its investigation until the country launched a parallel investigation through the quad comm.

In December, the panel finally recommended the filing of criminal charges against former President Duterte along with his close allies, Senators Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, who were both highly implicated in the drug war.

Earlier, Duterte challenged the ICC to come to the Philippines as soon as possible, saying he may just die before it starts investigating his drug war.

“They can come here anytime. You know, we're not hiding… If I am found guilty, I will go to prison and rot there for all time,” Duterte bluntly remarked.

If he had the means, Duterte, a lawyer, said he would personally go to the ICC and investigate himself.