SAN FRANCISCO
Lee Heidhues 3.10.2025
Donald Trump should be in prison.
American justice is disgraceful. The convicted felon Donald Trump is in the White House while the ex Presidents of The Philippines and Brazil have been indicted for their criminal acts and face major jail time. In these countries a compliant judiciary will not save them.
Where Trump belongs.
In the Philippines former President has been indicted by the International Criminal Court.
Excerpted from The New York Times 3.10.2025
Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, was arrested on Tuesday in Manila, after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity in his war on drugs in which, human rights groups say, tens of thousands of Filipinos were summarily executed.
He was taken into custody at the airport in Manila after returning from a trip to Hong Kong, according to the Philippine government. Mr. Duterte’s lawyer, Salvador Panelo, said the arrest was unlawful, partly because the Philippines withdrew from the court while Mr. Duterte was in office.
Mr. Duterte, 79, who left office in 2022, is a populist firebrand who remains one of the Philippines’ most influential politicians, and he has enjoyed relative immunity despite several accusations against him in connection with his antidrug campaign.
But Mr. Duterte’s arrest could be a major step toward accountability for thousands of Filipinos who have long sought justice for their loved ones, many of whom were gunned down by police officers, hit men and vigilantes. Activists say the vast majority of victims were poor, urban Filipinos, some of whom were minors and people who had nothing to do with the drug trade.
In Brazil Jair Bolsonaro has been indicted for attempting to overthrow an election he lost.
Lee's Perspective 