Former Philippine President Duterte Arrested on ICC Warrant

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on Tuesday at Manila's international airport following his return from Hong Kong.

The arrest, executed by Philippine police, was made at the request of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with alleged crimes against humanity committed during Duterte's controversial "war on drugs".

The office of current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed the arrest, stating, "Early in the morning, Interpol Manila received the official copy of the warrant of arrest from the ICC. As of now, he is under the custody of authorities".

This development marks a significant milestone in the ICC's ongoing investigation into the thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings that occurred during Duterte's presidency.

Duterte's "war on drugs," a cornerstone of his 2016 presidential campaign, was characterized by a brutal crackdown on suspected drug dealers and users.

While official police reports cite 6,200 deaths during anti-drug operations, human rights organizations estimate the true toll to be much higher, ranging from 12,000 to 30,000 fatalities.

The former president has consistently defended his actions, maintaining that he never ordered the unlawful killing of drug suspects and that police were instructed to use lethal force only in self-defense.

However, Duterte's own words have often contradicted these claims. In a chilling statement made during his presidency, he declared, "I used to do it (kill) personally just to show to the guys that if I can do it, so can you".

Despite Duterte's attempts to evade accountability by withdrawing the Philippines from the ICC's founding treaty in 2019, the court's investigation has persisted1.

The arrest comes as a surprise to many, given Duterte's previous defiant stance towards the ICC. He once boldly stated, "You want to scare me by threatening to have me thrown in prison? International Criminal Court? Bullshit".

In a video posted on social media by his daughter Veronica shortly after his arrest, Duterte appeared to question the legitimacy of his detention, asking, "What is the law and what is the crime that I committed?". This defiant attitude echoes his long-standing position of challenging international scrutiny of his actions.

As the world watches, this arrest marks a potential turning point in the pursuit of justice for the victims of the Philippine drug war. It remains to be seen how this development will impact the ongoing ICC investigation and the broader landscape of international criminal justice