ARREST WARRANT FOR SARA DUTERTE: ACCOUNTABILITY MUST EXTEND TO HER CRIMES AGAINST THE FILIPINO PEOPLE

While the Asia Pacific Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP) welcomes the issuance of an arrest warrant against Vice President Sara Duterte in connection with the grave threats case. It cannot deny the fact that Philippine justice system is unfair, unjust and unequal. Design to protect the rich and powerful. An ordinary Filipino who uttered a bombed joke publicly is easily get arrested, fined and detained. Vice-president Sara Duterte’s threat against her former political ally took more than a year before an arrest warrant is issued.

“The arrest warrant is a positive development, but justice cannot stop at grave threats. Sara Duterte must also be investigated for allegations of corruption and misuse of public funds, which are manifestations of bureaucrat capitalism, as well as for her administration’s and political machinery’s role in human rights violations. Accountability must reach those who wield state power and use it against the Filipino people. There must be no special treatment for the Duterte family, and no political accommodation at the expense of justice.” Sister Patricia Fox, spokesperson of APCHRP, said. 

APCHRP further calls on the Filipino people and the international community to strengthen the campaign against fascism and bureaucrat capitalism in the Philippines. The crisis of accountability surrounding Sara Duterte exposes a broader system in which government officials can accumulate wealth, abuse state resources, and wield the machinery of the state against the people while escaping genuine accountability. 

“While we urge the Philippine government to continue its efforts to hold Sara Duterte accountable, we must also hold Ferdinand Marcos Jr. accountable as the chief architect and enabler of the impunity and rotten system that perpetuates corruption, bureaucratic capitalism, and human rights violations.” Sister Patricia Fox ended.