Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been "forcibly taken" onto a plane destined for The Hague, following the International Criminal Court's (ICC) issuance of an arrest warrant against him. The ICC charged Duterte with "the crime of murder as a crime against humanity," alleging these acts occurred between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019. His arrest is tied to his controversial anti-drug campaign, which resulted in the deaths of thousands.
The brutal crackdown on drugs during Duterte's presidency left more than 6,000 people dead, according to police data. However, independent monitors suggest the actual number of extrajudicial killings might be significantly higher. Despite these claims, Duterte has consistently denied any involvement in extrajudicial killings, even though he has openly admitted to instructing police to shoot suspects who resisted arrest.
The arrest took place at Manila's main airport after Duterte returned from Hong Kong on Tuesday. At approximately 11 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET), his flight departed Manila, marking a significant moment in Philippine politics. Duterte's successor, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., confirmed these details, stating that Interpol sought assistance for the arrest.
“Interpol asked for help and we obliged because we have commitments to the Interpol which we have to fulfill,” – Marcos
The ICC, located in The Hague, had long been investigating Duterte. Yet, his sudden arrest left many in the country stunned. Duterte previously withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019, a decision criticized by many as an attempt to evade accountability. Nonetheless, under ICC regulations, the court retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while a country was a member, which includes the period from 2016 to 2019.
Loved ones of those who perished during Duterte's violent campaign expressed a mixture of relief and disbelief at his arrest. Christine Pascual, one of the victims' relatives, shared her sentiments:
“Through our prayers, what we believed in, and for all the people around us, we did not expect this to happen, after all the years we have fought for justice, finally a warrant of arrest was issued against a president and to Duterte at that.” – Christine Pascual
Conversely, some of Duterte's supporters voiced their disapproval of the arrest. Aikko Valdon expressed sadness over the developments:
“I’m sad because I didn’t think it would come to a point where he would be arrested. For me, he did a lot for our country and this is what they did to him,” – Aikko Valdon
Duterte's daughter Sara confirmed her father's transfer to The Hague and criticized the actions taken against him. She described the situation as unjust:
“As I write this, he is being forcibly taken to The Hague tonight. This is not justice – this is oppression and persecution,” – Sara Duterte
Additionally, Veronica Duterte, another of Duterte's daughters, raised concerns about her father's health being disregarded in the process:
“They are taking him out on a plane by force without considering his health conditions,” – Veronica Duterte
Duterte himself has spoken about his tenure and the actions he took while in power. Reflecting on his time as president, he remarked:
“I did everything that I could in my time, so there is a little bit of quiet and peace for the lives of the Filipinos.” – Rodrigo Duterte
The arrest culminates a turbulent chapter in Philippine history marked by violence and controversy. It also sets a historical precedent as one of the rare instances where a former head of state faces charges at an international tribunal for actions taken while in office.
