The Diocese of San Carlos welcomes the initial steps towards accountability with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest order and detention of former president Rodrigo Duterte at The Hague, Netherlands, to answer for charges of murder as a crime against humanity, Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said in a statement on Thursday, March 20.
Alminaza said he hopes that other perpetrators of Duterte’s drug war will also be brought to justice.
From the harrowing era of state-sponsored killings that plagued our nation, a glimmer of hope has emerged with the arrest of Duterte, Alminaza said.
“This development brings a measure of hope and solace to the thousands of families who lost their loved ones during the Duterte regime’s war-on-drugs and war-on-rights, a period marked by impunity and reward-driven killings,” he said.
Alminaza pointed out that the Diocese of San Carlos has consistently called for an end to these killings.
He has personally borne witness to the devastating consequences of this violence, the bishop said.
“I presided over the heart-wrenching funeral masses of activists Zara Alvarez, Dr. Mary Rose Sancelan, and her husband, all murdered for their dedication to the poor and their tireless work for justice and peace in Negros Island,” he said.
Alminaza said he also offered prayers at the wake of Skyler Bladen Abatayo, a 4-year-old boy tragically killed by a stray bullet during a flawed drug raid in Cebu City.
“It is deeply troubling that many remain unconvinced of the profound injustice perpetrated through these systematic killings, and that, tragically, former president Duterte’s actions garnered admiration from some,” he said.
Alminaza said “it pains me to acknowledge that some among us continue to support former President Duterte’s campaign of violence, justifying the killings as a solution to the nation’s drug problem”.
They remain blinded by the false narrative that criminality and drug addiction can be eradicated through death and execution, he said.
Holding Duterte accountable will be a warning to other leaders who want to unleash human rights violations in the future, he said.
“We must engage in a critical reevaluation of our values as believers, reaffirming our commitment to the sanctity of all life. The Church must remain a powerful voice against injustice and any form of tyrannical solution to social problems,” he said.
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At the same time, Alminaza said they remain vigilant versus the continuing practice of impunity as military attacks and bombings continue to “terrorize rural communities” in Negros Island, Mindoro and Mindanao.*