For families of Philippines drug war victims, Duterte's arrest revives hopes for justice

Manila: The moment Jerica Ann Pico, the widow of a man who was killed during the war on drugs in the Philippines, heard the news of former President Rodrigo Duterte's arrest, she said it felt like a fresh breath of life had rushed back into her.

She said she never thought she would live to see the day when justice no longer seemed out of reach for her husband, one of the thousands killed during Duterte's brutal anti-narcotics campaign.

"I was surprised and felt as if I had been brought back to life because what we have been fighting for is finally coming to fruition - we are finally getting justice for our loved ones who were taken from us," said Pico after attending a Mass in the Quezon City region of Manila with families of other victims.

At the church, stark reminders of the drugs war lined the steps of the altar - photos of those who lost their lives under Duterte's six-year campaign. Many of their families, like Pico, now hope to see the former president behind bars.

In a dramatic turn of events, Duterte was arrested in Manila on Tuesday at the request of the International Criminal Court and flown to The Hague hours later, marking the biggest step yet in the court of last resort's probe into his bloody "war on drugs."

The 79-year old Duterte could become the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the ICC.

"For families of extra-judicial killing victims, this is our only wish-that those responsible be held accountable," said Pico, the 30-year-old mother of one.

Although Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC's founding treaty in 2019 to block its drugs war probe, the court says it has jurisdiction to investigate alleged crimes that took place while a country was a member. Victims and human rights groups said that Duterte should not be the only one held accountable. They also demand justice against others involved, including his former police chief, now Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who oversaw the bloody crackdown and is under ICC investigation.

"They should be with Duterte and not just Duterte being the only one held accountable," Emily Soriano, whose son was killed in the anti-drugs campaign, said at a press conference attended by families of other victims.

Dela Rosa's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But he and Duterte petitioned the Supreme Court on Tuesday to compel the government to stop cooperating with the ICC.

During Duterte's six-year presidency, 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations, by police count.

But activists say the real toll was far higher, with thousands of urban and poor drug users, many placed on official "watch lists", killed in mysterious circumstances.

Pico said her husband, Mark Anthony Ruivivar, was added to such a list in 2018. The following year, she said, he was dead, shot and killed by police outside his home in Quezon City.

At the time, police said he had fired at officers first.

"At least Duterte will only be imprisoned. His family will still get to see him, visit him," Pico said, holding back tears. "Unlike us who lost our loved ones, we will never see them again."