Asian Angle | What Duterte’s arrest means for Philippine politics – and its global standing

The dramatic surrender of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court on Tuesday further polarised a country already reeling from political strife – with the impeachment of his daughter, Vice-President Sara Duterte, dominating headlines and crucial midterm elections just weeks away.

While questions of jurisdiction and due process surrounding the ICC’s actions may now be moot, the Philippines’ decision to hand over one of its own nationals undermines its sovereignty and independence, and its credibility as a champion of international law and the rules-based order.

Duterte’s swift arrest and transfer to The Hague drew both cheers and jeers in the Southeast Asian nation of 115 million. For his critics and the families of those who suffered and died under his brutal drug war, it was a long-awaited moment of justice. For his supporters, it was nothing short of political persecution.

The elder Duterte’s detention in Europe and his daughter’s trial in Manila paint a vivid picture of a political dynasty under siege. After her impeachment by the House of Representatives last month, pressure is mounting on the Senate, which is currently in recess, to convene as an impeachment court to try Sara Duterte.

The optics of the moment are impossible to ignore. Regardless of the merits of the charges against him, Duterte’s transfer to ICC detention – while his daughter is facing impeachment – has all the hallmarks of a calculated takedown. Whatever the outcome, the reputational damage could loosen the Dutertes’ once-dominant grip on Philippine politics.