Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Arrested on ICC Warrant
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested by police in Manila following a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing him of crimes against humanity over his deadly "war on drugs."
Duterte, 79, was taken into custody at Manila airport shortly after returning from Hong Kong, where he had been campaigning for his political allies ahead of the May 12 mid-term elections.
A Crackdown Marked by Thousands of Deaths
Duterte served as president from 2016 to 2022, during which he launched a brutal anti-drug campaign that resulted in the deaths of thousands of suspected drug offenders. While official figures report over 6,000 fatalities, human rights organizations estimate the actual number to be significantly higher.
In response to earlier reports of his possible arrest, Duterte had stated that he was "ready to go to prison."
Mixed Reactions to the Arrest
The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) hailed Duterte’s arrest as a "historic moment."
"The arc of the moral universe is long, but today, it has bent towards justice. Duterte's arrest is the beginning of accountability for the mass killings that defined his brutal rule," said ICHRP Chairperson Peter Murphy.
However, Salvador Panelo, Duterte’s former presidential spokesperson, condemned the arrest as "unlawful," arguing that the Philippines had withdrawn from the ICC in 2019.
Despite this, the ICC maintains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed before the country’s withdrawal, including those during Duterte’s tenure.
Duterte’s Hardline Policies and ICC Investigation
As a former mayor before becoming president, Duterte gained popularity with his tough-on-crime stance, frequently urging law enforcement to kill suspected criminals.
"Hitler massacred three million Jews. Now there are three million drug addicts [in the Philippines]. I'd be happy to slaughter them," Duterte infamously stated early in his presidency.
Reports from human rights groups and parliamentary investigations suggested that police and vigilante "death squads" carried out summary executions of suspects.
The ICC took note of these allegations in 2016 and officially launched its investigation in 2021. The probe covers incidents dating back to November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao City, until March 2019, just before the Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC.
Political Tensions and the Marcos-Duterte Rift
Duterte’s arrest comes amid rising political tensions in the Philippines. His daughter, Sara Duterte, currently serves as the country’s vice president and is considered a leading candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
However, the once-strong alliance between the Duterte family and incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has deteriorated in recent months.
Initially, Marcos resisted cooperating with the ICC investigation, but as his political ties with the Dutertes fractured, he shifted his stance, signaling willingness to cooperate with the court.
It remains unclear whether Marcos will go as far as extraditing Duterte to face trial at The Hague.
