Man, what a convoluted system.
If you inherit a fucked up country and try and fix it, the ICC may come after you, or, if you're a good leader and the left fucks up your country and you try and fix it, they could come after you for enforcing your own laws.





The Hague-based court first announced a "preliminary examination" into lethal violence linked to the Philippine drug war in February 2018, around 18 months into Duterte's campaign. This culminated in an arrest warrant, executed as the former president returned to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila from Hong Kong.

On the surface, allegations of 'crimes against humanity' have a strong basis in fact. While estimates vary wildly, somewhere between 6,000 and 20,000 drug suspects died violently on Duterte's watch.

U.S. president Donald Trump took this skepticism further, by slapping sanctions on ICC staff and calling the court "illegitimate."

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/icc-arrests-duterte-international-criminal-court-philippines/

I have been keeping an eye on this case because I actually met Duterte when he was APPOINTED Mayor of Davao by President Gloria M Arroyo. His job was to gain control of the city and keep Radical Muslim influence ie the islamic MILF etc from starting a civil war and preventing terror groups like the Abu Sayef from depredations on the Pearl Farm and other business interests in that major Southern Philippines city. Lots of reasons for this because the Duterte clan had intermarried with Moro families and they respected him. PLUS They were old partners. Back in the bad old days of Marcos, the big threat in Davao and area were the NPA, new peoples Army, communists who went around assassinating anyone who wouldn't ante up "revolutionary taxes". Marcos used the old addage, "GET ONE MONSTER TO FIGHT ANOTHER MONSTER" enter the Moro groups which have always been a problem since the times of the Spaniards. Duterte was a lawyer back then, he turned vigilante, going after the "sparrow units" that were killing people, employing various Moro Chieftains plus his own badasses called Guardians. The late 80's and early 90's were a bloody time in that place. The commies were beaten back by the more savage Moros and things stabilized.

I always though "El Diablo" as they called him was a CIA asset. He got money from somewhere to arm his Muslim and vigilante fighters. Perhaps vicariously through Marcos? Plus he became a millionaire, a real US Millionaire with lots of holdings and assets in the USA. Both Ronald Reagan and Bush Sr gave the Peens LOTS of money to fight commies. Duterte sort of badmouthed US forces and Contractors but I thought this was a diversion and a show, he was negotiating behind the scenes with his Moro assets to keep the more radical groups in line and they were worried the US would turn firepower on them but everyone acted more as advisors rather than combatants, Training and money for equipment plus the all important intelligence, satelite tracking and more importantly surveillance drones.

Along comes the war on terror and Bush sending US troops and private contractors (of which I'm one) to counter the threat from these predatory Muslim extremist groups like the Abu Sayef which foolishly kidnapped two American missionaries (the Burnhams) and some guy who was a naturalized American citizen. They beheaded the Guy coz he couldn't keep up. Bush sent military assets in an exercise they called "Balikatan" (side by side), aimed at rescuing Americans and wiping these Abu Sayef rebels out

Long story short a raging gun battle ensued between ABU Sayef and Filipino special forces which killed several of the Filipino hostages plus Mr Burnham the American Missionary, the wife was rescued after being shot in the leg. Some of the Abu Sayef were killed but many of them got away. Who shot who is still mystery to this day. Most Abus were later hunted down and killed. Rumor has it (wink) by drones. One of their leaders got blown to pieces in his speed boat in the Sulu sea.

Duterte turned his attention away from Moro terrorists to Drug dealers, especially Chinese Mafia called triads who were coming into Davao and setting up meth labs in warehouses, the product was called SHabu and many people became addicted to this. I remember seeing Duterte angry and red faced after several overdoses in the City on TV threatening these drug dealers, this was about 2004 0r 2005. He said frankly " if you come in this city and sell drugs if you make Shabu I WILL KILL YOU"

It was around Christmas time in Davao when he did just that. Police raided a warehouse on the piers and machine gunned 4 or 5 Chinese triads. Duterte cleaned up Davao and they Elected him President some years later, that was after my time there but I understand he continued this drug war against primarily foreign sources, using strongarm tactics and his old vigilante practices, and I suspect, help from his old Pals in Moroland.

As I see it Duterte is sort of like Donald Trump. He has his country overrun by foreign Criminals who are manufacturing shabu and other drugs in the Philippines and getting rich from it, paying off local elected officials and Cops and the local populace is suffering for it. The Philippines has no social programs or resources to address addiction and the problem it brings. Perhaps some of those Chinese nationals were members of the CCP and perhaps some of the fentynal they were making found its way into the US?

Anyhow, I wish him well and I'm glad Trump is supporting him.

 

Good inside stuff billy!

I see China's hand in this. Perhaps India too. Criminals from both countries were running rampant in the Philippines and of course there is China's bullying over the Spratley and Paracell Islands (Filipino fishing grounds). CHina owned the banks during my tenure, when you went into A bank it was inevitably owned by a President named, Lee, Li, Uy, Ng, Hong etc. All the cute little teller girls were usually Chinese last name. Oh sure they were Filipino Chinese the CHINOYS but Bejeing had the deep pockets.

Exchanging US DOllars to Pesos was always a bit higher with the Chinese owned banks, they wanted that US dollar. Duterte started cracking down on Chinese Triad Drug dealers a few got 'disappeared" They call it "Salvaging" put 'em in a 55 gallon drum and take them to a deep part of the ocean and goodbye forever. Duterte as President stood up to the CCP over the SPratleys with the backing of the USA of course.

The Indians were the ones running a money lending scam called five six  (5-6) they changed you 600 pesos to borrow five hundred pesos (Roughly ten bucks back then) collections due at the end of the week. Duterte told them to stop or face the consequences. More than a few faced the consequences.