A Poem of Resilience

Vice President Sara Duterte surprised everyone with an unexpected visit to the Senate on July 7, 2026. But instead of attending her impeachment trial, she made a statement that sent shockwaves: 'In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed.' These are the exact words from the poem Invictus, written by William Ernest Henley in 1875.

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

Invictus is a poem about resilience in the face of adversity, written by William Ernest Henley in 1875. Henley wrote it while he was receiving medical treatment for tuberculosis of the bone. He wanted to convey that he was still capable of remaining strong despite immense hardships.

The Duterte siblings have been quoting Invictus in the past few months. Kitty, Duterte's younger sister, had recited the entire poem in April when the International Criminal Court (ICC) affirmed its jurisdiction over the crimes against humanity case against their father. Kitty told the supporters of their father that he wanted her to relay his response to the ICC's confirmation of all his charges.

The poem has been quoted by world leaders with worthy causes, including Nelson Mandela, who was jailed for 27 years on Robben Island for opposing the South African regime. Mandela became the country's president in 1994. Then-British prime minister Winston Churchill also paraphrased the poem's last two lines at the House of Commons in 1941 to lift the country's morale in the midst of World War II.

But Invictus has also been quoted by controversial figures who had perpetrated civilian killings. For instance, Timothy McVeigh, who bombed Oklahoma City in 1995, had used the poem as his final written statement before his execution in 2001. Brenton Tarrant, the Australian-born man who gunned down 51 people in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2019, also ended his manifesto with Henley's Invictus.

### A Question of Motive

So why do the Duterte siblings keep quoting Invictus? Is it a sign of their resilience in the face of adversity, or is it a message to their enemies that they will not back down?

### Key Facts

  • The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed its jurisdiction over the crimes against humanity case against former president Rodrigo Duterte.
  • Vice President Sara Duterte and her sister Kitty have quoted Invictus, a poem about resilience in the face of adversity, amid the ICC charges against their father.
  • William Ernest Henley wrote Invictus in 1875 while he was receiving medical treatment for tuberculosis of the bone.
  • Nelson Mandela, who was jailed for 27 years on Robben Island for opposing the South African regime, quoted Invictus during his time in prison.
  • Timothy McVeigh, who bombed Oklahoma City in 1995, used Invictus as his final written statement before his execution in 2001.

### Philippines' Connection

The Philippines has a long history of martial law and oppression. Former president Ferdinand Marcos ruled the country with an iron fist from 1965 to 1986, and former president Rodrigo Duterte has been accused of human rights abuses during his term. The ICC's charges against Duterte are a step towards accountability and justice for the victims of his regime.

### What's Next

The ICC's confirmation of its jurisdiction over the crimes against humanity case against Duterte is a significant development. The trial is expected to begin soon, and the Duterte siblings will have to face the music. Will they continue to quote Invictus, or will they change their tactics? Only time will tell.

Image Query: A photo of Vice President Sara Duterte and her sister Kitty reciting Invictus in front of the Senate building in Manila.

Region: Asia

Category: philippine politics

Tags: duterte, icc, crimes against humanity, philippine politics, invictus, sara duterte, kitty duterte

Meta Description: Vice President Sara Duterte and her sister Kitty have been quoting Invictus amid the ICC charges against their father, former president Rodrigo Duterte.

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