The Duterte Legacy of Impunity Continues The Philippine government's recent move to urge the Supreme Court to reject Senator Ronald dela Rosa's bid to block his arrest and surrender is a long overdue step towards accountability.
Dela Rosa, who oversaw the bloody "war on drugs" under Rodrigo Duterte's presidency, has been hiding behind an excuse that he cannot be arrested and tried because of the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019.
This argument is weak, as it is well established international law that states may still be bound by obligations arising before they withdraw from an international treaty.