The International Criminal Court has set a November date for the trial of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, a case that has become a lightning rod for debates on sovereignty and human rights. Duterte faces charges of crimes against humanity over his brutal war on drugs, which left thousands dead. The development comes as the UK government has reaffirmed its support for the ICC, a stance that has placed London at odds with Manila's narrative.
On the streets of London, the news is met with a mix of solemnity and cautious optimism. Maria, a Filipino nurse living in Hackney, told me she feels a weight lifting: 'It is validation for the families who have been crying out for justice.' But in the Philippine diaspora, there is also fear.
Many worry the trial will deepen political divisions back home. The human cost of Duterte's policies is not abstract. It is in the faces of the bereaved and the wounds of a society grappling with its past.
The ICC trial is more than a legal proceeding; it is a cultural reckoning. It asks uncomfortable questions about justice, power, and who gets to hold whom accountable. As the UK government takes its stand, one cannot help but wonder about the gap between diplomatic posturing and real change.
Will this trial serve as a deterrent for future autocrats, or become just another stage in a political theatre? For now, the families wait. And the world watches.
