VICE President Sara Duterte, Davao City Mayor Baste Duterte, Senators Imee Marcos and Robin Padilla, and Senator-elect Rodante Marcoleta are currently in The Hague, Netherlands, to stage a protest against the detention of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The former President faces charges of crimes against humanity related to his “bloody” war on drugs during his tenure as Davao City Mayor and President of the Philippines. The rallies aim to show support for Duterte and pressure the ICC to release him. However, the ICC is an international body committed to its charter and not swayed by external pressures. The Philippines, which withdrew its membership from the ICC in 2019, is still obligated to comply with the court’s provisions due to the timing of the alleged crimes. There is debate over the ICC’s jurisdiction, with some arguing it no longer applies since the Philippines is no longer a member, while others believe the court still has authority since the alleged crimes occurred during the country’s membership. Meanwhile, the Netherlands government may grow impatient with the protests, potentially leading to embarrassing situations for Filipinos. In other news, a 2024 survey found Davao City has the highest basic literacy rate in the Davao Region at 93.5%, with females showing a higher rate than males. Davao de Oro ranked second, while Davao Occidental had the lowest rate at 74.2%. The survey’s findings have sparked interest in addressing literacy issues in the region, particularly in provinces like Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental, which were not included in the survey.
