Two headlines. Two men. Two very different continents. One eerily similar story.
“ICC rejects Duterte interim release bid”
“Noble Peace Prize 2025: Trump lost”
In the span of a week, the world watched two populist strongmen—Rodrigo Duterte and Donald Trump—face humiliating setbacks on the world stage. One behind bars, the other behind a failed campaign for glory. Both, in their own way, were denied the recognition they so desperately sought.
Duterte: Denied at The Hague
Let’s start with Duterte. Detained at The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity, he pleaded for interim release. The ICC said no.
Ironically, it was the Duterte family’s own words that helped sink the bid. The court cited Duterte’s claim that his arrest was “pure and simple kidnapping”—a statement that undermined the legitimacy of the proceedings. Then came VP Sara Duterte’s speech, which hinted at a possible breakout and accused the ICC of colluding with the Philippine government. The judges weren’t amused.
As the old saying goes: “the fish is caught through the mouth.” Or, as Proverbs 6:2 puts it: “You have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.”
Trump: Snubbed by the Nobel Committee
Meanwhile, Trump was fresh off brokering a ceasefire in Gaza and lobbying hard to become the fifth American president to win the Nobel Peace Prize. But despite the 11th-hour campaign, the bid fell flat.
Feeling snubbed, the White House lashed out. Communications Director Steven Cheung declared, “The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”
But the Committee’s response was calm, resolute, and cutting.
Translation? Peace isn’t about optics. It’s about substance.
Trump the Arsonist
Trump’s foreign policy, by his own account— “I ended eight wars”—should’ve stirred the Nobel Committee to action. But critics weren’t buying it. They say he’s like an arsonist who sets the house on fire, calls the fire department, and then demands a medal for saving it.
Comedian Seth Meyers nailed it:
“You set the house on fire. Then you called the fire department. And now you want credit for saving the house from the fire you started. The house is still there. You’re welcome. Yes, lots of it very black, and everything’s wet.”
In the end, the prize went to Venezuelan activist Maria Corina Machado. In a twist of irony—or perhaps sarcasm—she dedicated it partly to Trump. He responded with characteristic bravado: “She accepted it in my honor.”
MAGA supporters were incensed. Israeli farmers even carved Nobel 4 Trump into a field in solidarity. But the Nobel Committee remained unmoved.
“Ms. Machado has been a key, unifying figure in a political opposition that was once deeply divided… At a time when democracy is under threat, it is more important than ever to defend the common ground.”
As one European commentator put it:
“Peace isn’t something you demand like a trophy—it’s something you embody.”
Duterte the Punisher
Back in the Philippines, Duterte faced his own Nobel drama. In 2021, journalist Maria Ressa—his fiercest critic—won the Nobel Peace Prize for defending press freedom amid his brutal war on drugs.
The Nobel Committee didn’t mince words:
“Maria Ressa uses freedom of expression to expose abuse of power, use of violence and growing authoritarianism… The number of deaths is so high that the campaign resembles a war waged against the country’s own population.”
DDS (Duterte Diehard Supporters) were outraged. They saw Ressa’s win as a slap in the face, a denial of Duterte’s "achievements.” Ressa, meanwhile, endured relentless online abuse.
“They dehumanized me by constantly using me as a meme… The worst part is their nickname for me, which they even did code words for—scrotum face. They spliced my head onto human genitals. I’d wake up to echo chambers filled with this horrific image.”
Fast forward to 2025, and the tables have turned. Ressa continues to speak truth to power. Duterte faces international prosecution. The contrast couldn’t be starker.
Populism and Paranoia
Both Trump and Duterte rose to power on waves of popular fervor, fueled by fear and fury.
For Trump, the enemy was immigrants. “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”
For Duterte, the enemy was drug addicts. “If you know of any addicts, go ahead and kill them yourself.”
Both targeted the vulnerable. Both sowed chaos. And both rallied loyal supporters— MAGA and DDS—who share a deep distrust of international institutions. To them, bodies like the UN, ICC, Amnesty International, and the Nobel Committee are elitist, biased, and hostile to their heroes.
One DDS posted online after Duterte’s arrest: “This is not justice. This is global bullying.” A MAGA influencer echoed the sentiment: “Trump deserves the Nobel more than anyone. The world just can’t handle his greatness.”
The Bottom Line
The world doesn’t need strongmen demanding medals. It needs strong institutions defending humanity.
We need the ICC to hold war criminals accountable. We need the Nobel Committee to honor moral courage. We need the UN to build bridges where others build walls.
Trump and Duterte may have lost their bids for honor and release, but their stories remind us why global accountability matters. Because when authoritarianism rises, it’s the truth-tellers, the peace-builders, and the justice-seekers who must hold the line.
And Pope Leo XIV said it best:
“The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking. She knows that every rejected migrant—it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community."
Content & editing put together in collaboration with Bing Microsoft AI-powered Co-pilot
Head collage photos courtesy of cartoonmovement.com & ICC; design by Canva
Still photos courtesy of Getty Images, CNBC, Time, cartoonmovement.com, & Bing image creator
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