In a dramatic turn of events, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested and transferred to the Hague under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for alleged crimes against humanity. The arrest, carried out on Tuesday, marks a significant milestone in the long-standing global scrutiny of Duterte’s controversial anti-drug crackdown.
Duterte, 79, was detained in Manila upon his return from a trip to Hong Kong, the office of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed.
Manila is the capital and the second-most populous city of the Philippines. He was later flown to The Hague at 11 PM local time, according to a statement from Marcos, who said the former president must “face charges of crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody war on drugs.”
Footage showed Duterte boarding a plane at Villamor Air Base, escorted by security officials.
Duterte’s daughter, Sara Duterte, who once served as the Philippine Vice President under Marcos Jr., denounced the arrest, calling it a ‘blatant affront to our sovereignty.’ She further alleged that her father was ‘forcibly taken’ to the Netherlands.
However, President Marcos Jr. denied that the arrest was politically motivated. “Duterte was arrested in compliance with our commitments to Interpol. This is what the international community expects of us as the leader of a democratic country,” Marcos stated.
Marcos Jr. is the 17th and current President of the Philippines. New Daily Prime gathered that the clash between Marcos Jr. and former President Rodrigo Duterte stems from political power struggles, policy differences, and personal rivalries, particularly involving former Vice President Sara Duterte. Sara Duterte, the daughter of the former president, initially aligned with Marcos Jr. during the 2022 elections as his running mate, but they later fell apart due to political differences,
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Duterte, citing “reasonable grounds to believe that he is individually responsible for the crime against humanity of murder.” The warrant details “widespread and systematic attacks on civilians” during his tenure as Mayor of Davao City (2011–2016) and President of the Philippines (2016–2022).
Duterte’s controversial war on drugs, which began in 2016, resulted in the deaths of thousands of suspected drug users and dealers, predominantly from poor communities. The Philippine government acknowledges at least 6,200 drug-related killings, while human rights groups estimate the actual toll to be much higher—potentially exceeding 30,000 deaths.
However, during Duterte’s presidency, crime rates dropped significantly. Serious crimes like murder, robbery, and rape decreased by over 60%, according to Philippine National Police data. Davao City (Duterte’s hometown), previously known for high crime rates, became one of the safest cities in the country under his governance.
Additionally, major terrorist groups like Abu Sayyaf and the Maute Group were significantly weakened under his administration.
Duterte’s legal team has filed a petition with the Philippine Supreme Court to block his transfer and invalidate the ICC warrant. Meanwhile, international legal experts say that the case against Duterte could take years to reach a verdict.
The European Union and other international bodies have welcomed the Philippine government’s cooperation with the ICC, calling it “a step towards justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings.”
As Duterte awaits his fate in The Hague, the case remains one of the most significant legal actions ever taken against a former head of state in modern history.
