The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest and investigation of former Philippine President Duterte has caused significant concern among Myanmar’s military council leader Min Aung Hlaing and other military leaders in Naypyidaw. The chairman of the military council’s Union Solidarity and Development Party, Khin Yi, has publicly criticized the ICC’s actions as erroneous. These comments were broadcast through military-affiliated Telegram channels, reflecting growing anxiety within the military leadership.
Khin Yi argued that the ICC’s summoning of former President Duterte to The Hague, Netherlands, on charges of crimes against humanity constitutes an infringement on national sovereignty. He emphasized that the ICC’s exercise of jurisdiction over non-member states is fundamentally flawed. Furthermore, he suggested that the ICC’s actions demonstrate a double standard, primarily affecting African and Asian nations while having little impact on certain other countries. He stressed the need to balance human rights considerations with national sovereignty and the rule of law, arguing against what he termed a one-sided approach to international justice.
Following Duterte’s arrest by Philippine authorities on March 11 and his subsequent transfer to the ICC, there has been notable unease among Min Aung Hlaing and military leaders in Naypyidaw. This concern has intensified amid reports that the ICC is preparing to issue an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing himself. Sources indicate that Min Aung Hlaing has been requesting reports on potential scenarios and implications following the Duterte case. The former Philippine president’s prosecution relates to alleged mass killings under the guise of a drug enforcement campaign, and the case has created significant ripples among Myanmar’s military leadership, who face their own allegations of human rights violations.
