Duterte's arrest is ridiculous, and we all know it.

While I’m not a Pinoy, nor have I been to the Philippines, but I have seen enough memes and videos to know that Indonesia and the Philippines share many traits. From corruption, useless political campaigns and promises, exquisite nature, Alfamart, and perhaps most interesting of all, the phonetics of our languages.

But one thing Indonesia doesn’t have (and I wish we did) is someone like Duterte. Brazen, politically incorrect, practical, and iron-fisted.

When I first heard and watched Duterte on the news, I remember seeing the media trying to portray him as “unpresidential,” a dictator, and a staunch human rights violator. I liked him despite how the media tried to vilify him. You can't fake character (Yes, Meghan Markle—I mean, Sussex). I thought he was authentic, decisive, and strong—amazing qualities that, unfortunately, many lacked on the political stage. He didn’t care about semantics or narratives; he cared about action and results.

I don’t get thrown off by words like “dictator,” “communist,” etc., to paint a country. Those are just jargon words people use when they don’t understand you and want to put you down. The same goes for words like “democracy” and “freedom”—they sound good, but do they translate to good results in reality? Absolutely not. Every culture and country needs a governance system that aligns with its realities. In countries like India and Indonesia, democracy has failed to bring order. Without strong leadership and strict enforcement of laws, disorder and corruption flourish.

Duterte did exactly that, at least in one department—he put order in a country that desperately needed it. When he came into power, the Philippines was drowning in drugs and crime. I had friends who told me how bad things were before he took charge. Entire communities were controlled by drug lords, and the police? Well, let’s just use our imagination. He cleaned his country not with pretty speeches or hollow promises but with real action. He wasn’t playing house like most politicians; he was dealing with criminals who had long terrorized the Philippines. And in return? He’s being put on trial for doing what needed to be done for the country.

Here’s what no one talks about: the people loved him for it. My Pinoy friends can testify. Did he have haters? Absolutely, who doesn’t? But the everyday Filipinos who had to live with the terror of crime and drug-fueled violence were the ones who stood by him. Crime rates dropped under Duterte, and for the first time, the Philippines had a leader who wasn’t just another spineless puppet reciting empty promises.

Fast forward to today, and what do we have? The International Criminal Court (ICC) is trying to put him behind bars for doing the job that the so-called “human rights activists” never had the guts to do themselves.

Let’s get something straight: the Philippines exited the ICC in 2019. That means no jurisdiction, no authority. Critics argue that withdrawing in 2019 doesn’t erase crimes committed before that. But let’s be clear—what “crimes”? Cleaning up cartels and drug lords? The ICC is punishing a leader for actually doing his job.

This arrest by the ICC reeks of hypocrisy. Where was the ICC when other atrocities were happening in other parts of the world.

The Middle East is a graveyard of war crimes, yet the ICC has done next to nothing about Iraq, Syria, or Palestine. US-backed invasions, airstrikes killing civilians, governments suppressing dissent with brutality—the ICC barely lifts a finger. It goes after leaders of smaller nations while the real war criminals walk free. If accountability truly mattered, why isn’t the ICC dragging Bush, Blair, or Netanyahu to trial?

So we should ask ourselves, is ICC a tool for political maneuvering, and not justice? What a wild concept. In fact, Indonesia has never joined the ICC for this reason - because they were afraid of over-sovereignty and potential misuse of the courts for political purposes. 

This isn’t about human rights. It’s about control. The ICC, their Western allies, and their cheerleaders despise strong leaders who refuse to bend the knee. They also hated the fact that Duterte tried to build ties to China instead of their Western friends (read: jealousy).

The real crime against humanity in this story isn’t Duterte eliminating criminals—it’s allowing cartels and corrupt politicians to destroy the lives of the everyday people and thinking that the people are too dumb to realize that.

To my Filipino brothers and sisters, I feel for you. You had a leader who didn’t just talk but ACTED. I am jealous that you have Duterte—and Jollibee, of course.

And now, you’re watching as the system tries to bury him for it. The Philippines deserves better, and so does Duterte.