by rb28
In what was a sudden twist of fate, former strongman Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the PNP based on an arrest warrant by the ICC issued through Interpol on March 11, 2025. The former president, arriving from a rally in Hong Kong, was immediately arrested and sent to Villamor Airbase before being flown to the Hague. The prosecutor will now be prosecuted. Will lady justice smile upon him or will he be clowned upon?
A copy of the warrant indicates March 7 as the issue date as reported by Esquire.
A local FB group also posted that the reason why GongDi went to HK was to seek asylum but was denied. It must have hurt a lot to know that he was dispensable and used.
Although this information cannot be confirmed or denied, the timing of events is not very coincidental. Why would he suddenly fly outside of the country when he received info that the warrant was issued?
The work done by Magdalo and Sen. Antonio Trillanes III has born fruit. No other statesman has practically worked hard in ensuring the survival of the Philippine Republic like Trillanes. He fought GMA, got jailed, and fought the deadlier GongDi, got threatened but in both times, he persevered.
On a side note: there was also an interesting event when former US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim personally visited Sonny during GongDi's heated retribution. Was he shielded by American power? The senator also mentions that DEA has the info on Bong Go and Paolo Duterte being members of a drug organization with both personalities not able to show their full body which had the tattoos. The former senator has definitely some contacts.
Some high profile personalities removed/persecuted by Duterte
But with Trillanes, he could not do anything with him. Duterte got exposed on the BPI account issue, on the SALN issue, on the drug war, and corruption by him and his cohorts. Trillanes looked untouchable, even against a madman like GongDi.
Personally, from the understanding of this humble reader, what Magdalo did was right. The justice system during GongDi's time was precarious because intimidation of judges and lawyers was very high, with some being killed. If professionals or high ranking officials not aligned with PRD can be threatened and eliminated, how much more on the common people? Outside help was needed to prosecute Rodrigo because he had Lady Justice by the balls.
There was also talk that what GongDi was doing was eliminating the local drug competition in favor of his Chinese partners. Case in point was the massive drug haul during his term which used the BoC as a shipment agency. He eliminated the Parojinogs, the Espinosas, the Kings, and subdued Espinosa. Whether this is true or not, it is up to the reader to connect the dots. Killing small time pushers would be good news to the masses but as long as the top echelons are safe, then business is good. And what about the statements of Matobato and Lascanas? That's a treasure trove of information from former DDS hitmen.
And how the Marcos admin and the PNP handled the arrest was clockwork. It was not messy. It got the job done. For one, I thought Marcos was a softie, a pampered and rich son, unwilling to get dirty, low, and brawl like the Dutertes -- but he is a silent man, deadly and his wife is feisty.
It's probably a nerve wracking event for those who believed in the UniTeam. Sara was leading on the polls but he conceded to Marcos and slid down to VP. Her father gave the elder Marcos a hero's burial, etc probably as a favor. The Duterte fake news machinery was behind him in mudslinging LP, PNoy, and VP Leni.
But that alliance was an alliance of convenience. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. An alliance built on sand. Agila and Tigre - both alpha predators could not live together. It was not about principles or values. It was about survival in the political jungle.
Erap was backstabbed by PGMA. PGMA was prosecuted by PNoy for corruption. And GongDi lambasted PNoy, despite being given a greater economy, surplus money, and very low levels of debt. I think it was this time which the northern neighbor upped the ante on controlling the Philippines because it had moved closely to the West during PNoy's time. All the tricks of the trade will be used to install GongDi.
GongDi knew that he had to "appoint" a friendly successor or else his corruption, crime, and gimmicks would be exposed. He clogged the SC with chief justices who were about to retire - same with the PNP and AFP, probably thinking the more officials he has, the better he is protected. I thought there was news on AFP Chief Brawner mentioning of "uprising" in the ranks -- same with the PNP. And for the final act, he chose BBM -- or maybe Sara choose BBM. This is hard to read because the elder Duterte had insinuated that the younger Marcos was "bangag" before the 2022 elections. Whatever the case, they thought they had chosen the friendliest successor.
And now, the UniTeam is gone. The mambubudol has been budoled. The elder Duterte is fortunate to face the wheels of justice. He will not have the nanlaban option. Whatever the decision, he will have to live with it -- just as the people he has changed had to live with theirs.
Interesting random thought: is Marcos a US asset installed as a pawn for America's interest in the geo-political sphere? The Marcoses were taken from Malacanang and then to Hawaii during the end of the People Power Revolution. As a payback, the younger Marcos is given a chance to redeem his fathers name as long as he tows the line on Uncle Sam's interest. It's an interesting thought bordering on conspiracy. But probably not since Sara endorsed him and she couldn't have made the endorsement without his fathers blessing -- who is known as anti American and pro Chinese.
The 2025 election will be electrifying. BBM/DDS supporters will clash! As for me, the choices are simple and they are the best: BAM, KIKO, HEIDI. RISA needs help in the Senate! Voting Magdalo as partylist. Let the masses vote for who they think is best. It's a democratic country and everyone is fair game.
by rb28
***These are the thoughts of the author and may or may not be accurate as these are based on readings and memory recollection. Not a professional writer. Not a lawyer. Not paid.***
