Once a widely popular leader, Duterte remains a polarizing figure, celebrated by his supporters for his tough-on-crime policies but condemned by critics for the human rights violations committed under his war on drugs. His 80th birthday sparked demonstrations across the Philippines—both for and against him.
TRANSCRIPT
AMBI 1: SOUND OF A ANTI-DUTERE PROTEST
RAO: In central Manila, anti-Duterte demonstrators gathered, calling for the former president to be held accountable for thousands of drug war killings. Among them was Sally Ramos, whose daughter was shot three times in the head by plain-clothes policemen in 2017.
SALLY RAMOS: Why we are here? Because we are seeking first justice for our loved ones. Up to now, we are not still very happy. We are not still confident, because he is not convicted yet. He must stay in jail. Even though he will become 100 years old.
AMBI 2: SOUND OF A SEPARATE PRO-RALLY, CHANTING
RAO: But just a few blocks away, Duterte’s supporters rallied in celebration. One of them, 58-year-old Susan Bartolai, says Duterte brought safety and stability to the country.
SUSAN BARTOLAI: They're here because they believe that the the arrest was unjust, and former President Duterte did a lot of great things for the Philippines for them because of His strong man personality and a lot of criminals, and they feared former President Duterte, and it is through President Duterte leadership that they felt safer. So they're in favor of the war on drugs, because for them, President Duterte words were just words of a strong man, and he did not really kill anyone.
RAO: Duterte’s legacy remains divisive, particularly as he faces a pending investigation at the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. Human rights lawyer Colene Arcaina says Duterte’s strongman tactics have reshaped political sentiment in the Philippines.
COLENE ARCAINA: People just seem to be drawn towards his strong, you know, unapologetic, straightforward, you even crass image of a leader. They found it in Duterte. And there's also the justification on his treatment towards people who use drugs. People justify it, and people agree with it. It seems like his values were uncompromising, because it was clear what he had to do, and he did them, you know, so and in this, this includes killing those he said he would kill.
RAO: While Duterte remains defiant against the ICC, Arcaina warns that his 80th birthday is a reminder that justice for his victims is still out of reach.
ARCAINA: There are still a lot of cases within the domestic system, domestic system which are not resolved, or which are not resolved in the favor of the families. And I think this is where, this is where the anxiety and a lot of the grief felt by the families after the arrest, you know, comes from, because even if it looks like we are making progress before the ICC, we're still not making progress before the domestic legal system. So I think that's one. I think the the the thing that needs to be done there is to call on our our courts, our domestic courts and our domestic investigating bodies, to administer justice to families because of, you know, the evidence that exists in their favor.
RAO: At 80 years old, Duterte continues to wield influence, his legacy cemented in the country’s deep political divides. Whether he will ever face trial remains uncertain, but for many, the fight for justice is far from over. For KPRG News, I’m Naina Rao.
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