More
    HomeAsian politicsAsian Angle | What Duterte’s arrest means for Philippine politics – and...

    Asian Angle | What Duterte’s arrest means for Philippine politics – and its global standing

    Published on

    The dramatic surrender of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court on Tuesday further polarised a country already reeling from political strife – with the impeachment of his daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, dominating headlines and crucial midterm elections just weeks away.
    While questions of jurisdiction and due process surrounding the ICC’s actions may now be moot, the Philippines’ decision to hand over one of its own nationals undermines its sovereignty and independence, and its credibility as a champion of international law and the rules-based order.
    Duterte’s swift arrest and transfer to The Hague drew both cheers and jeers in the Southeast Asian nation of 115 million. For his critics and the families of those who suffered and died under his brutal drug war, it was a long-awaited moment of justice. For his supporters, it was nothing short of political persecution.
    The elder Duterte’s detention in Europe and his daughter’s trial in Manila paint a vivid picture of a political dynasty under siege. After her impeachment by the House of Representatives last month, pressure is mounting on the Senate, which is currently in recess, to convene as an impeachment court to try Sara Duterte.
    The Hague Penitentiary Institution prison is seen on Thursday, a day after Duterte’s arrival in the Netherlands following his arrest on an ICC warrant. Photo: ANP/AFP
    The optics of the moment are impossible to ignore. Regardless of the merits of the charges against him, Duterte’s transfer to ICC detention – while his daughter is facing impeachment – has all the hallmarks of a calculated takedown. Whatever the outcome, the reputational damage could loosen the Dutertes’ once-dominant grip on Philippine politics.

    Source link

    Latest articles

    Trump visa cuts and tariff hikes turn Chinese students away from American Dream

    BEIJING - When 25-year-old biology student Yao's PhD program enrollment was deferred due to...

    Global markets today: Nikkei to Hang Seng – Asian stock markets fall after Wall Street sell-off

    Asian markets traded lower on Tuesday, following overnight losses on Wall Street after US...

    US Commerce Dept finalizes tariff rates on solar goods from Southeast Asia

    U.S. trade officials finalized tariff levels on solar cells and panels from Southeast Asia,...

    More like this

    Xi Jinping’s visit: Malaysia ‘stands with China’ amid US tariff threat, Anwar says

    Malaysia stands with China on trade, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said as the...

    Xi Seeks to Win Over Southeast Asia as Trump Pauses Some Tariffs

    President Xi Jinping’s first overseas trip of the year was meant to showcase China’s...

    Xi Jinping warns ‘no winners’ from Trump trade war as he heads to Vietnam

    Xi Jinping has warned that US protectionism will “lead nowhere” as the Chinese leader...