“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities begins with a vivid portrayal of the French Revolution, bringing to life a time of upheaval nearly four centuries ago. The same words could describe another revolutionary figure in a different era — the United States, its former president, and, closer to home, former Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
This past week has been nothing short of remarkable. From his stay in Hong Kong to his detention at Villamor Air Base, his flight on a Learjet to Dubai, and finally, his arrival at The Hague, events unfolded at an astonishing pace. Rallies took place across the Philippines, with smaller demonstrations occurring worldwide. Yet the fact remains that the Philippines is a signatory to the International Criminal Court (ICC). That is why Duterte is gone, detained but not yet convicted.
Like millions of our countrymen, I was stunned by how quickly these events transpired. At first, I assumed the Learjet was a coincidence. I even went to bed early that night, expecting the usual political fervor by morning. Instead, I woke at 11:30 p.m., checked my phone, and saw the breaking news — “Tatay Digong” had left Philippine airspace.
I exhaled a sigh of relief and whispered a prayer of thanks.
I was once an ardent supporter. In fact, I believe I created the first Facebook page advocating for his presidency on July 5, 2011 — nearly five years before the election that would propel him to power. The page was called The Rody Project: Duterte for President in 2016, a name inspired by a well-known American sunglasses brand. A year later, during a visit to Davao, I made a point of tracking him down at his favorite hotel. I got what I wanted — a selfie with the man who would one day lead the country.
For the next three years, I remained loyal. But by late 2015, my faith wavered. His controversial remarks about Pope Francis, just before the pontiff’s visit to Manila, were unsettling. Soon after, his comments regarding an Australian hostage victim in Davao only reinforced my doubts. These were moments that many voters were willing to overlook. I was not. Deep down, I knew it was a turning point.
The election was an easy victory for him. The masses set aside the controversies, and he won convincingly. Then came his infamous challenge — the promise to eradicate drug addiction in three months, later extended to six. The war on drugs took its course, leaving behind questions that linger to this day. Did 30,000 people really die? How many of them were innocent bystanders?
Now, the ICC holds the gavel. The world is watching; while no one can predict the outcome, something tells me this will all unfold as it should.
