Photo courtesy: ICC
The Senate resolution requesting the International Criminal Court to place former President Rodrigo Duterte under house arrest shows who among the the lawmakers understood what an uncompromising leadership is and who among them are politically rabied.
The resolution, which came on the heels of disturbing news that the aging and ailing President fell and lost conciousness while in detention, was unexpected given the focus of the Blue Ribbon Committee on the magnitude of unprecedented corruption that is pushing the country on the edge of a failed state.
For the 15 Senators all they asked for is for humanitarian reasons. Duterte had been in detention for seven months after he was kidnapped and flown to The Hague by a cabal of the incumbent political leaders. He was charged of “Crime Against Humanity” for the murder of 43 people during his six-year-term as President. Obviously lacking in evidence to render a verdict, the International Criminal Court unjustly locked him and no one knows when his trial will be. His frail body is giving up.
Sponsors of the resolution are Migz Zubiri, Imee Marcos, Alan Peter Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Rodante Marcoleta, Bong Go, Joel Villanueva, Bato del Rosa and Robin Padilla.
Senators who voted “Yes” include Ping Lacson, Sherwin Gatchalian, Jayvee Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Erwin Tulfo and Mark Villar.
Senators who voted “NO” are Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino and Kiko Pangilinan, while Senate President Tito Sotto and Raffy Tulfo abstained.
Absent during the Senate session when the nominal voting happened were Senators Lito Lapid, Pia Cayetano, Camille Villar and Chiz Escudero.
It can be recalled that former President Duterte was shanghaied to The Hague on a private jet after he was waylaid by a throng of police operatives led by then Criminal Investigation nd Detection Group head Nicolas Torre. For his feat, President Marcos appointed him Chief of the Philippine National Police out-pacing four other senior officers. Last August however he was unceremoniously replaced for no apparent reasons. Torre who also led the assault on the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Compound is now in limbo.
There is nothing surprising in the decision made by Hontiveros, Aquino and Pangilinan. Hontiveros for one is suffering from a severe phobia of another Duterte leadership. Aquino would side with anyone who is anti-Duterte forgetting and ignoring the fact that Soledad Roa Duterte, a social activist from Davao City and Jesus “Chito” V. Ayala led the Yellow Friday Movement in Davao in protest of the murder of Ninoy Aquino. The movement later was brought to Makati by Chito Ayala and this led to the People Power that ended with the ouster of Ferdinand E . Marcos Sr. It is a sublime irony that Bam, Risa and Kiko now doggedly support the son, Marcos Jr. , and crucify the PRRD whose mother Soledad played an unsung role in the ouster of the dictator.
As for Sotto and the other Tulfo, nothing much can be expected of the two. Sotto is a mascot of Malacanang. Tulfo plays the role of a doubting Thomas who said “Unless I see the wounds from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds will I believe”. Tulfo will believe at nothing but a death certificate.
At 80 and in his sickbed PRRD is deeply yearned for by his people. The war he waged against drug and other criminal syndicates can never be expunged no matter how his political adversaries and remnants of those syndicates denegrate him. Before, during and after his term as President, Duterte held the highest Trust and Approval ratings among his peers. This is unprecedented and eloquently argues against the charge that he committed a crime against humanity.
Those who connived to get rid of Duterte will have their comeuppance. He laid his life for others to live in peace. Those who lived in peace will never ever forget his malefactors. That’s not me warning, it’s KARMA.
