A plane carrying former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has departed Manila after the Hague’s International Criminal Court issued a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity tied to his deadly anti-drug campaign.
Duterte, 80, was arrested by Interpol police shortly after arriving from Hong Kong at Manila’s international airport on Tuesday morning. Despite challenging his arrest, he was quickly placed on a private jet bound for The Hague in the Netherlands, where the ICC is based.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr announced the Philippines was fulfilling its legal duties to the Hague.
During Duterte’s presidency, thousands of alleged drug users, dealers, and others were killed without trial in what became known as his “war on drugs.” Marcos said the charges stem from Duterte’s controversial anti-drug operations, which he labelled “bloody.”
“Interpol requested our assistance, and we complied,” Marcos stated during a press briefing. “This is what is expected of us by the international community.”
Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, who has been at odds politically with Marcos, called the arrest persecution. She announced that she would accompany her father to The Hague.
Duterte, who has consistently defended his hardline anti-drug campaign, has offered no apologies for the more than 6,000 reported deaths during his tenure as president from 2016 to 2022 and as mayor of Davao City before that.
Duterte Defiant Over Hague Charges
Still, in a video shared online by his daughter Veronica, he questioned the Hague warrant, asking, “What crime have I committed?” He added, “If I broke any laws, try me in Philippine courts, with Filipino judges, and I’ll serve time in my own country.”
A petition was filed with the Supreme Court urging it not to comply with the Hague’s request. Duterte’s legal team also argued that the Philippines’ 2019 withdrawal from the ICC nullified its jurisdiction over the country and its citizens. However, the ICC retains authority over crimes allegedly committed before the withdrawal.
Supporters of Duterte rallied outside the airport where he was taken into custody. “I’m heartbroken; he did so much for our country, and this is how he’s treated,” said Aikko Valdon, one of his supporters.
State media reported that over 370 police officers were deployed at the airport and other key areas to ensure peace. Activists, however, celebrated the arrest as a milestone for accountability. The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) called it a “historic moment” for victims of Duterte’s drug war.
“Duterte’s arrest is the first step toward justice for the thousands killed during his brutal leadership,” said ICHRP chairman Peter Murphy.
At the time of his arrest, Duterte had been in Hong Kong campaigning among the Filipino diaspora for the mid-term elections on May 12. He had planned to run for mayor of Davao again.
Political scientist Richard Heydarian called the arrest a turning point, stating, “This is about upholding human rights and the rule of law.” He commended authorities for acting decisively to avoid potential political unrest.
Duterte and Marcos families
The alliance between the Duterte and Marcos families began to crumble in recent months as their political interests diverged. In the 2022 elections, Sara Duterte ran as Marcos’s vice-president despite her father’s preference for her to run for president.
Initially, Marcos resisted the ICC’s investigation but shifted his position as tensions with the Duterte family grew. Heydarian noted the push for justice in Duterte’s drug operations aligns with Marcos’s own political goals.
Duterte ruled Davao City as mayor for 22 years, transforming it into one of the country’s safest cities by cracking down on crime. He gained national recognition as a tough-talking reformer, which helped him win the 2016 presidential race in a landslide.
While in office, Duterte instructed law enforcement to shoot drug suspects on sight. Official numbers report over 6,000 were killed during his campaign, though rights groups suggest the figure could be much higher.
A United Nations investigation found many of the victims were young, poor men, and that police often forced suspects to confess or face deadly consequences. Critics argue the campaign targeted small-time offenders while failing to address major drug syndicates.
ICC Investigation
Parliamentary investigations raised concerns about death squads allegedly operating under Duterte’s orders, which he denied. “Don’t question my policies. I make no excuses. Everything I did, I did for my country,” Duterte told lawmakers in October. He was unapologetic about his stance, saying, “I hate drugs. Period.”
The ICC began investigating alleged abuses in 2016 and formally launched its investigation in 2021. The inquiry covers incidents from November 2011, when Duterte was Davao’s mayor, to March 2019, just before the Philippines withdrew from the ICC.
President Marcos has taken a different approach to the drug crisis, scaling back Duterte’s violent policies while still addressing the problem. However, hundreds of drug-related deaths have occurred under his administration.
Despite his controversies, Duterte remains popular in the Philippines, particularly in the Mindanao region, where many believe he addressed long-standing marginalisation. A 2022 poll revealed nearly 90% of Filipinos were satisfied with his presidency, the highest approval rating since the country returned to democracy in 1986.
Marcos has sought to mend relations with the United States, criticising Duterte’s close ties with China. China’s foreign ministry expressed concern over Duterte’s arrest, warning the ICC against “politicisation” and applying “double standards.”
Duterte’s daughter, Sara, is seen as a strong contender for the presidency in 2028, potentially extending the Duterte dynasty’s influence in Philippine politics.
