2025 March 11: Politics, justice, truth

A massive jolt shook the Filipino nation and people last March 11, 2025: the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon his return from Hong Kong and his flight to The Hague’s ICC.

Politics, justice, and, truth are among the major continuing/interweaving themes that try to capture/describe/explain/analyze and predict about this March 11 upheaval in the Philippines - this first major, historical ICC arrest of a former leader of an Asian country.

On politics.

The historic ICC arrest clearly confirms the decisive break of the BBM-Du30 Unity Team, with write-ups and analysts calling the March 11 and post March 11 moves of both political camps as “master strokes.”

Amidst the increasingly loud buzz about Du30’s arrest warrant already issued by ICC, surely, both political camps must have long discussed/considered various scenarios and action plans about what to do best when the ICC arrest warrant was finally issued?

That was very evident on the side of BBM and his network.

Did Du30 and his team know that the PNP will serve the ICC arrest warrant to Du30 inside the plane he boarded back from Hong Kong, that Du30 will be transferred to Villamor Air Base, then be on a chartered jet to bring him to The Hague?

Was that swift, decisive, well-orchestrated “master stroke” to deliver Du30 straight from NAIA Philippines to The Hague airport a very tightly-kept security secret known only to BBM and his trusted team? When was the final decision about this “master stroke” made and who were involved in the conceptualization, planning and execution of this “master stroke?”

Political analysts have been quick to point out the serious intent of BBM and his cohorts to eliminate the Du30s as political rivals this May and the upcoming presidential elections. Aside from this ICC arrest, there is still the pending impeachment trial awaiting Du30’s daughter on charges of abuse and misuse of public funds, among others.

Will the Du30s allow BBM or anyone else to remove them from the Philippines’ political landscape?

Did not BBM and party instead fall into the trap of the Du30s “master stroke” which was to allow the Filipinos here and abroad to witness and buy their narrative of a pitiable, frail, sick “Tatay Digong,” a very vulnerable underdog and victim of BBM government and politics accused of ignoring sovereignty and human rights?

The Du30 narrative/“master stroke” expects a swelling of sympathy and support from the Filipino people a la Ninoy Aquino whose death rallied millions during his funeral and years later, to topple the Marcos Sr. dictatorship.

Critics ask - “where are the so-called million supporters of Du30?”

At best, till now, only hundreds have tried to express their protest and support for Tatay Digong through motorcades, (a la Aquino) noise barrage/prayer rallies, including the singing of the genuine nationalists’ Bayan Ko.

Will a Du30-inspired People Power emerge sooner or later?

On Justice.

Families of Du30’s EJK remind all that Du30 would not be in The Hague now had it not been for his Tokhang policy of kill, kill, kill the poor addicts with the big, rich, more organized drug dealers and suppliers untouched.

While there is no disagreement that all victims of EJKs and drug addicts deserve justice, killing and EJKs are not the privilege nor the only option of those in power.

Du30 critics and victims protest vehemently - how dare Du30 and his party invoke justice, human rights and sovereignty which they ignored and abused during Du30’s term!

On Truth.

Now, the Philippines and the Filipinos continue to be even more divided, with each group within and outside the Philippines claiming that their version, their narrative is the Truth. All else are lies, misinformation, fake news.

Where is their God – “the way, the TRUTH, and the life?”