Duterte’s arrest by police is ‘poetic justice’ – Fr. Robert Reyes

Fr. Robert Reyes says Holy Mass at the EDSA Shrine on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, for the families of victims of extrajudicial killings during the Duterte administration. —Photo by Jason Sigales | INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines —  The arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte by the Philippine National Police (PNP) is “poetic justice.”

Fr. Robert Reyes, popularly known as the “Running Priest” and convenor of the Clergy for Good Governance, said this is part of his homily at a Holy Mass at the Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) Shrine on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in solidarity with the families of victims of extrajudicial killings.

“The police back then became part of Duterte’s killing machine. It’s poetic justice that they were the ones who arrested Duterte,” Reyes said in Filipino.

“The police that Duterte once ordered to kill, kill, kill are now the ones to capture the president that destroyed their honor, crushed their principles, disgraced their solemn duty to protect the weak and endangered,” he added.

Last October, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno called  PNP a “killing machine,” following testimony of former Police Col. Royina Garma that Duterte ordered the implementation of a system to reward officers for killing drug suspects.

“In the end, the truth will win. In the end, accountability will win. And because of this, justice will prevail, and it has prevailed,”  Reyes said.

READ: LIVE UPDATES: Rodrigo Duterte at The Haigue

Authorities arrested Duterte on Tuesday morning under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his crimes against humanity case arising from his brutal drug war.

Government data tallied 6,200 deaths related to the anti-drug campaign, but human rights groups estimated the death toll could be as high as 20,000.