For families of Philippines drug war victims, Duterte's arrest revives hopes for justice

Activists and relatives of drug war and extrajudicial killing victims hold pictures and placards during a press conference following the arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, March 12, 2025. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David

MANILA (Reuters) - The moment Jerica Ann Pico, the widow of a man who was killed during the war on drugs in the Philippines, heard the news of former President Rodrigo Duterte's arrest, she said it felt like a fresh breath of life had rushed back into her.

She said she never thought she would live to see the day when justice no longer seemed out of reach for her husband, one of the thousands killed during Duterte's brutal anti-narcotics campaign.