I was glued to the TV.
The replays from The Hague was rolling. The closing statements at the International Criminal Court had wrapped up in the trial of former President Rodrigo Duterte. I was taking notes for my ATABAY piece—rewinding phrases, replaying arguments, studying the tone of the prosecutions and defense.
This was history unfolding in legal language.
Then suddenly, the news broke out. Breaking: U.S. and Israel launch major strikes on Iran.
In one instant, my attention shifted from courtroom in Europe to missiles over the Middle East. From legal arguments to airstrikes. From judges in robes to fighter jets in formation.
And that was when it struck me.
These two events—so different, so distant—were not separate at all.
They were serendipitously coupled.
They were living embodiments of the oldest geopolitical tension known to humanity: Right is might versus Might is right.
And somehow, the Philippines stood at the center of one of them.
Epitome 1: The ICC-Philippines Trial — When Right Claims Power
What I was watching in The Hague was not just a trial. It was an idea in action.
The ICC represents a bold claim: that law can stand above sovereignty. That even presidents can be summoned to answer before international judges. That crimes against humanity are not erased by popularity, rhetoric, or political tenure.
For a Filipino watching this unfold, it feels surreal.
A former Philippine president standing before a global tribunal. Our nation collaborating—directly or indirectly—in a process that says justice transcends borders.
Whether one supports Duterte or opposed him, this moment carries weight. It signals that accountability is not merely a domestic political slogan but part of an international moral architecture built after World War II.
Not tanks. Not sanctions. Not missiles. But institutions.
It is slow. It is procedural. It can be frustratingly technical. But its power lies in endurance. It claims that legitimacy—when organized into law—becomes a form of strength.
And for once, the Philippines is not merely reacting to global events. We are part of shaping one.
Epitome 2: The U.S.-Israel Strike on Iran — When Might Defines Order
But while The Hague argued in paragraphs, the Middle East erupted in explosions.
The joint action of the U.S. and Israel against Iran represents something far older and far more blunt.
When threats are perceived, force is deployed.
When deterrence fails, escalation follows.
When capability exists, it is exercised.
International law may debate. The United Nations may deliberate. But military power reshapes the map in real time. This is the world of Might is right.
Security justified by superiority.
Order defined by dominance.
Outcomes decided by force.
Watching the screen switch from courtroom solemnly to breaking-war headlines felt like witnessing two different centuries colliding.
One believes norms should govern power.
The other assumes power governs norms.
What Does This Mean For Us Filipinos?
Here is the uncomfortable but necessary question: What do these twin events mean for the Filipino people?
First, they remind us that the rules-based international order is fragile. It works—until power chooses not to wait for it.
Second, they challenge our consistency. Can we champion accountability in The Hague while ignoring the reality that global powers still act unilaterally when strategic interests demand it?
Third, they force us to mature geopolitically. We are allied with a superpower. But, we are also part of international institutions. We sit in a region where great-power rivalry is intensifying. We cannot afford intellectual laziness.
These are not abstract debates. They shape trade routes, oil prices, security alliances—and potentially our own future.
The Three Scenarios: Good, Bad, and Ugly
Let us imagine where this could go.
The Good
The ICC trial proceeds credibly and strengthens global norms. The U.S.-Israel vs Iran conflict de-escalates before spiraling wider. Institutions regain relevance. The Philippines emerges as a nation capable of confronting its own past through legal means.
In this scenario, the prayer of Pope John Paul II—that the Philippines be a “light” for Asia—takes on geopolitical meaning. Not a light of dominance. But a light of accountability.
The Bad
The ICC process becomes politicized in perception. Domestic divisions deepen. The Middle East conflict destabilizes global markets and alliances. Cynicism grows.
People conclude that justice is selective and power remains decisive.
Trust erodes.
The Ugly
The war expands. Regional powers are drawn in. International institutions weaken further. The global order fractures into hardened blocs.
In such a world, small and middle powers like the Philippines become vulnerable to pressures we cannot control.
Here, both ideas collapse.
Right becomes rhetorical.
Might becomes reckless.
A Final Reflection
That night, as I switched between legal commentary and war footage, I felt the weight of something larger than headlines. The Philippines is not just observing this global tension—we are living inside it.
On one screen: a former president answering before international law. On another: superpowers asserting security through force.
Two interventions.
Two philosophies.
One fragile world order.
The question for us Filipinos is simple but profound:
Could this be our rare moment in time to show that in a world still tempted by “Might is right,” we dare—as a nation—to test whether “Right is might” can truly stand?
It is not an easy question.
It is not even a comfortable one.
To ask it seriously means we must examine not only global powers, but ourselves—our alliances, our principles, our courage, and our consistency.
After spending the whole day absorbing courtroom arguments from The Hague and then watching missiles redraw headlines in the Middle East, I felt the weight of it all. It was geopolitics at full volume.
So to ease my mind—after such a grueling reckoning—I did what I often do when the world feels unbearably divided.
I switched the video in YouTube. And I played John Lennon’s song. Then the familiar lines floated through the room:
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace…
Content &. Editing put together in collaboration with ChatGPT
Head collage image courtesy of ChatGPT image creator & Rappler, art design by Canva
Still photos courtesy by Philippines Travel & Leisure, Getty Images, International Criminal Court, Facebook, Easy-Peasy.AI, ATABAY photo file, & Shutterstock
