On Sunday, March 23, over 100 Filipinos and solidarity allies gathered at the Brandenburger Tor Berlin to mark the arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court. The protest also highlighted the call for his accountability to the charge of crimes against humanity that he is now facing. The demands to prosecute his collaborators in the so-called “War on Drugs” and for an end to the continued political repression under current president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr. were amplified. BAYAN Europe, ALPAS Pilipinas, Gabriela Germany, Migrante Germany, and ICHRP-Germany (International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines) led the demonstration.
Among the solidarity organizations who attended were Cênî (Kurdish Women’s Office for Peace), Korea Verband, Extinction Rebellion Berlin and Congo Basin Alliance, FKO (Föderation Klassenkämpferischer Organisationen), Ararat Kollectiv, and RESBAK (Respond and Break the Silence Against the Killings). Other organizations in Germany, including Abolish Frontex, also attended to express their support for the call to convict Duterte.
ALPAS Pilipinas and Gabriela Germany acknowledged Duterte’s arrest as a victory for the Filipino people and honored the years of tireless campaigning by human rights activists and victims’ families. Gabriela Chairperson Catherine Abon added that Duterte’s crimes against humanity go beyond his “drug war” as he is also responsible for extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, the massacre of activists, red-tagging, state terrorism, and other abuses, which continue under President Bongbong Marcos Jr.
Kurdish women’s group, Cênî, noted, “the extrajudicial killings, the repression of dissent, the brutal attacks on the most vulnerable in society – this is not just a Filipino issue. It is a global pattern of authoritarian violence.” Korea Verband added, “The ICC and international community must confront and condemn Duterte and his collaborators”, and reaffirmed their “solidarity with the victims, the activists and the Filipino democracy movement worldwide.”
ICHRP Germany denounced the “continuation of Duterte’s bloody drug war under Marcos Junior.” Under Marcos there were 342 drug-related casualties between July 2022 and June 2023. ICHRP Germany also named the potential role of the German government in the human rights crisis in the Philippines. “The planned defense agreement between Germany and the Philippines threatens to deepen the military entanglement of Germany in a region already fraught with geopolitical tensions.”
In her closing speech, BAYAN Europe Chairperson Dr. Phoebe Sanchez emphasized that impunity in the Philippines is U.S.-funded and has existed long before Duterte’s presidency, continuing under President Marcos Jr. “This campaign was originally funded by the U.S., which Duterte implemented through programs like Oplan Kapanatagan, MO 32, EO 70, Oplan Sauron 1 and 2 etc, enabling systematic and targeted killings,” she added.
The program culminated with a minute of silence in remembrance of those who have fallen victim under the Duterte regime. The groups vowed to continue and strengthen the fight for justice and accountability, emphasizing the need to form a broad, Europe-wide coalition of Filipinos and allies to support this cause.
Contact info:
- ALPAS-Pilipinas, alpas-pilipinas@riseup.net
- Gabriela Germany, gabriela.alemanya@gmail.com
- ICHRP Germany, ichrp.germany@gmail.com
- Migrante Germany, migrantegermany@gmail.com
- BAYAN Europe, bayaneurope157@gmail.com
