Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Wednesday, March 12, 2025.
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READ: Duterte flown to ICC for trial
Former president Rodrigo Duterte was flown from Villamor Air Base on Tuesday night to the International Criminal Court (ICC) headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, following his arrest on Tuesday. Duterte's arrest comes after the ICC issued a warrant over allegations of crimes against humanity in connection with his administration's controversial war on drugs. The former president, who served from 2016 to 2022, oversaw a bloody anti-drug campaign that led to thousands of deaths, many of which were alleged to be extrajudicial killings. In 2018, Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC after the tribunal launched a preliminary investigation into his drug war policies. However, the ICC ruled that it retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the Philippines was still a member. While Duterte and his allies have repeatedly dismissed the tribunal's authority, recent developments indicate a shift in the state's position, allowing his arrest and extradition to move forward. Security has been heightened around Duterte's known residences and key government facilities. The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have reportedly coordinated efforts to ensure a smooth transfer. Supporters of Duterte have gathered outside his Davao City home, protesting what they claim is a politically motivated prosecution. The 79-year-old faces a charge of "the crime against humanity of murder," according to the ICC, for a crackdown that rights groups estimate killed tens of thousands of mostly poor men, often without proof they were linked to drugs.
READ: Ex-president confronted over bloody legacy
FORMER president Rodrigo Duterte, who left a savage legacy over his deadly anti-drugs crackdown, was arrested on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity for the thousands killed in a war he waged against drugs in a political career spanning decades. His detention capped an international investigation into killings, which unfolded for more than a dozen years. Duterte again came under the spotlight during a weekend trip to Hong Kong when the trip sparked speculation that he may have gone into exile while on a trip to Hong Kong to evade a looming international arrest warrant. He had appeared as the main speaker on Sunday at a gathering of thousands of cheering and flag-waving Filipino expatriates, who jammed Southorn Stadium in downtown Wan Chai district. Now 79 and in poor health, Duterte campaigned for his political party's senatorial candidates ahead of the May 12 midterm elections in the Philippines. He said he was aware the International Criminal Court had issued a warrant for his arrest over his campaign against illegal drugs that left thousands of suspects dead. He again tried to justify the brutal crackdown and the crowd cheered him on. Police arrested him as he got off the plane at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport based on an ICC warrant.
READ: EJK victims' families say arrest just the first step to justice
THE families of victims killed in former president Rodrigo Duterte's war on drugs said his arrest was a step toward justice but could never undo the suffering and loss they endured. Duterte was arrested upon arrival in Manila from Hong Kong, where he was met with a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his role in alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) committed during his administration's war on drugs. Human rights groups estimate that more than 30,000 people were killed during the drug war, many of them accused without evidence and executed without trial. For the families left behind, the damage has already been done, and the arrest is not enough to make up for what they lost.
READ: PH intensifies efforts to deport POGO workers
In other news, the Philippine government is intensifying efforts to deport foreigners linked to illegal Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), with over 1,000 individuals set for deportation in the next two to three weeks. During a public briefing on Tuesday, Director Winston Casio of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (Paocc) revealed that it is holding 899 foreign detainees, while the Bureau of Immigration (BI) has approximately 200 to 300 more in its custody. Casio said that since January, authorities have neutralized over 1,000 foreigners engaged in illegal activities tied to POGO operations. But based on BI records, an estimated 11,000 POGO workers still remain in the country. However, with recent arrests and upcoming deportation, the number has been reduced to around 9,000.
READ: LTFRB suspends road safety training program
THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) announced on Tuesday the temporary suspension of its Comprehensive Road Safety Training program for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and conductors to allow for further consultations with stakeholders. Despite conducting eight consultations, the LTFRB heeded calls from the transport sector for additional discussions on the implementation of the program. The agency said it will engage with transport groups and industry experts to refine the training framework, ensuring that the policy is both effective and inclusive.
BUSINESS: April rate cut off the table
Over to business, an April rate cut remains possible as monetary authorities await more data to determine whether to resume easing policy, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said on Tuesday. While lower-than-expected February inflation has fueled speculation about a potential rate cut next month, the BSP chief said the final decision would be made on April 10, which would give the Monetary Board the benefit of March inflation data to be released on April 4. The BSP website still states that the central bank's policy-making body will be meeting on April 3. A change will not be the first for this year — last month's Feb. 13 meeting was moved up from Feb. 20 to allow Remolona to attend a Financial Action Task Force meeting in Paris. Remolona, who said that the central bank was still recalibrating its models to factor in uncertainties, would also depend on other indicators.
SPORTS: Warm welcome: Ionescu feels PH love for basketball
BARELY known when she first came here in the Philippines back in 2018 when she played for Team USA in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup, WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu returned to the country with a warm welcome from the fans. Seven years since her first visit, Ionescu has cemented a great career with three All-Star selections, a WNBA title, and a Paris Olympics gold medal — accolades that were definitely not lost in this basketball-crazy country. On her first day here in the country on Monday, the first stop of her Asian tour, Ionescu went to the House of Sabrina at Nike Fort on Monday when she had an encounter with talents and coaches of the women's basketball community. She also held a skills camp at the Nike Courtyard in Bonifacio Global City and will have another one on the final day of her tour on Wednesday in Santa Maria, Bulacan.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Francisco Tatad are today's front page columnists, as they weigh in on the latest developments on Duterte's arrest.
Today's editorial discusses the assessment of the country's transportation infrastructure. Read more on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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