What an incredibly eventful week -- and we're not (just) talking about the current state of the United States.

In the Philippines, what was previously unthinkable actually happened: the arrest of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte at the behest of the International Criminal Court (ICC) through the Interpol. Arriving from Hong Kong with his entourage, Duterte was immediately whisked to the VIP lounge of nearby Villamor Airbase after being read his Miranda rights. At the last hour of Tuesday, March 11, just 12 hours following his formal arrest, the former president was on a private jet to The Hague to await trial for crimes against humanity. The loud howl and hullaballoo (rallies, a deluge of fake news, threats) from his supporters are of no use. Duterte is no longer protected by Philippine law; it is only the ICC now that can determine his fate.

To get a grip of the whys and implications of this monumental event, here's an excellent piece written by veteran journalist and Columbia University journalism professor Sheila Coronel ("On the Arrest of an Autocrat") which the Columbia Journalism Review gave PF full permission to repost.

What's next for the Philippines? Go to our In The Know section below for the link to Walden Bello's article in The Nation. We are also reposting some stories on Duterte's reign of impunity that we published.

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Our other stories this week:

FilAm nurse Menchu de Luna Sanchez proved that some heroes don't wear capes, they wear scrubs. The FilAm founding editor Cristina DC Pastor writes about Sanchez's amazing bravery during Superstorm Sandy's devastation in 2012, a feat honored by the Obama administration.

A 94-year-old Filipina, fondly called Lola Naty, wrote a children's book about her beloved dog, thus fulfilling her lifelong dream to be a writer. PF contributing writer Claire Mercado-Obias pays tribute to the late author of My Dog Carter.

Though Visayan pop -- a sub-genre of Filipino pop music -- still has a small footprint in people's consciousness, it's nonetheless making waves with some innovative tunes and creative lyrics, mostly in Cebuano, from its talented propagators on Tiktok. First-time PF contributor Julienne Loreto introduces Vispop with love.

Read Agains:

Where Will President Duterte and His War on Drugs Take Us?
By Criselda Yabes

The Making of Edgar Matobato By Sheila Coronel

Leni and Leila By Criselda Yabes

Banished But Unbowed By Fiona Basile

[Video of the Week] The History of Pancit in the Philippines

In The Know

Rodrigo Duterte Is at The Hague. What’s Next for the Philippines?
https://www.thenation.com/article/world/rodrigo-duterte-hague/

Duterte provided ‘overwhelming evidence’ for his conviction: expert
https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/17/duterte-provided-overwhelming-evidence-for-his-conviction-expert-1948

Dane’s Post
https://www.facebook.com/danecusto/posts/2920647618089679

Collateral Damage: How Duterte's Alleged Crimes Followed a Manila Cop to Canada
https://www.esquiremag.ph/politics/news/duterte-alleged-crimes-manila-cop-a3690-20250314-lfrm

Rappler Talk: PNP’s Nicolas Torre III on arresting Duterte
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCPWtIi5sjs