ICC Arrest
A Prayer for the Philippines 🇵đź‡
A Nation’s Cry for Justice
In humble prayer before the God of Justice and Mercy, we, the Clergy for Good Governance, raise our voices for those who cannot speak. The International Criminal Court's arrest order against former President Rodrigo Duterte answers countless prayers for justice that have risen from the depths of grief.
Clergy for Good Governance
“Lord, You who hear the cries of the opressed:
We have witnessed families shattered by violence during the “war on drugs.” Each life lost bears Your divine image. The ICC’s intervention is a sacred opportunity to heal our nation’s wounded soul.
Heavenly Father, grant wisdom and courage:
Our beloved Philippines stands at a crossroads. We pray our leaders will honor truth above
political expedience. No nation prospers when it shields the powerful from accountability.”
“…Kayong naririto, bahagi kayo niyan. Tayong naririto at marami pang iba. Hindi naman natin pinangangalandakan ang ating ginagawa, ngunit hindi tayo nang-hinawa. Hindi natin tinalikuran ang pananagutan. Salamat sa mga sumisigaw laban para sa buhay, buhay, buhay. Katarungan, katarungan, katarungan. Katotohanan, katotohanan, katotohanan.
Namunga ang kanilang pagsasakripisyo, pagtataya at pag-aalay ng sarili. Merong higit pang kesa Jonas dito.
Dumarami na mga nagsasalita, naninindigan na nagtataya. Tulad ang sinabi ko kanina. Ang mga pulis na dating inutosan ni Duterte na kill, kill, kill. Sila naman ngayon ang humuli sa Pangulong. Sumira sa kanilang dangal. Dumurog sa kanilang prinsipyo. Binalahura ang kanilang dakilang pananagutan na ipagtanggol ang mga maihina at nanganganib.
Sa hulihan, magwawagi ang katotohanan. Sa hulihan, magwawagi ang pananagutan. At dahil dito, magwawagi at nagwawagi na nga ang katarungan.
Amen.”
“…We are a people in a constant state of crisis. This chronic condition of living through
one crisis after another can indeed make us fatigued and depressed; fortunately such
constant living with crisis after crisis can also make us more resilient and heroic
and God rooted. Let us choose to be better from every crisis.
This week saw us go through another critical moment in our pilgrimage as a nation—
the first time in Philippine history that a former President, a countryman Filipino, was
arrested on the basis of a warrant by the International Criminal Court. As if we do not
have an excess of reasons to be divided as a nation, here is fate giving us another
explosive situation that has added mote fragmentation to our already highly divided
nation.”
PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE
by Fr. Efren de Guzman, SVD
“…Vengeance is yours, and you will repay. Bring swift justice, and let the perpetrators of violence be put to stop. Uphold your righteous laws and defend those victims of violence by raising up public servants and judges after your own righteous heart who will stand up against injustice. Give justice and peace to all those who have been cruelly treated by their fellow man. Let the victims be treated with compassion and respect for their dignity. Give them access to the mechanisms of justice systems and prompt redress for the harm that they have suffered.
We praise you because justice is in your nature. We trust you to carry out justice as you see fit. You establish justice for those who have been wronged and mistreated. Also, you deal out punishment to those perpetrators of injustice and violence. Your Word says: “Violence has arisen, a rod to punish the wicked” (Ezekiel 7: 11).
We pray for the Church’s involvement in justice issues. You command us to uphold justice. You want us to partner with you in what you want to do on earth through us. Your Word says: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed” (Isaiah 56:1)…”
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“For years, former President Duterte has claimed that he is ready to face the consequences of his actions. Now is the time for him to prove it,” said Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, President of Caritas Philippines. “True justice is not about political allegiance or personal loyalty—it is about accountability, transparency, and the protection of human dignity. We urge Duterte to uphold his own words and submit himself to the legal process.”
Caritas Philippines reiterates its long-standing call for justice for victims of extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the anti-drug campaign. Recent testimonies—including allegations that police officers received financial rewards for killings—further confirm that these atrocities were state-sanctioned. “These killings were not random; they were part of a policy that violated the fundamental right to life,” emphasized Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, Vice President of Caritas Philippines. “The families of the victims deserve truth, reparations, and justice. As a nation, we must ensure that such crimes never happen again.”
"Hope for Justice”
Statement of Bishop Gerardo A. Alminaza, Diocese of San Carlos
In this Jubilee Year of Hope
“The pursuit of justice, particularly transformative justice, has found renewed vigor among us who are advocating for peace and justice. From the harrowing era of state-sponsored killings that plagued our nation to the recent issuance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against former President Rodrigo Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity stemming from his drug war policy, a glimmer of hope emerges. The ICC’s warrant states, thus, “taking into account the totality of the information before it, the Chamber finds reasonable grounds to believe that Mr. Duterte is individually responsible for the crime against humanity of murder (article 7(1)(a) of the Statute) as an indirect co-perpetrator within the meaning of article 25(3)(a) of the Statute, committed during the Relevant Period.”
This development brings a measure of hope and solace to the thousands of families who lost their loved ones during the Duterte regime’s war-on-drugs and war-on-rights, a period marked by impunity and reward-driven killings. The Diocese of San Carlos has consistently called for an end to these killings. We have engaged in various initiatives, including the solemn ringing of church bells to awaken consciences, the symbolic planting of trees as a testament to life and justice, and unwavering support for the victims’ families.”
