For six years, Rodrigo Duterte acted like a king. Laws bent around his will. Officials trembled at his fury. He ruled with impunity—ordering deaths, mocking human rights, cursing critics, and treating the Constitution like scrap paper.
Now, he sits alone in a detention cell in The Hague, no longer feared, no longer obeyed. Just another man awaiting trial.
On March 12, 2025, Duterte’s long illusion of invincibility shattered. After a tense standoff with family and lawyers, he was finally surrendered to the International Criminal Court. The man who once barked orders from Malacañang was forced aboard a plane like a fugitive—because that’s what he had become.
Duterte’s fall wasn’t unexpected. Foreign diplomats warned him for years: stop the killings, uphold the law, respect human rights. He responded with rage—insulting ambassadors, threatening critics, scorning international norms. He believed the presidency made him untouchable.
But power is not permanent. And history has no use for tyrants once the applause fades.
Inside the ICC Detention Center, some believe Duterte may be unraveling. No crowds. No sycophants. No microphone. Just time—too much time—to sit with the ghosts of the dead and the silence of accountability. For a man addicted to control, this must be torment.
Is it justice? Some say it’s only the beginning. Others say it’s too little, too late. But one thing is certain: The strongman who once thought he would die in power will now have to live with the consequences of his actions.
He mocked the law. Now the law is getting the last word.
