by Admin
11/3/2025
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on Tuesday, upon his return from Hong Kong at Manila’s main airport.
This was followed by a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging crimes against humanity linked to his anti-drug campaign during his presidential tenure.
The ex-president, who served from 2016 to 2022, initiated a controversial “war on drugs” that, according to official police records, resulted in over 6,000 deaths.
However, international human rights organizations and observation groups estimate the actual number could be as high as 30,000, encompassing many extrajudicial killings of alleged drug offenders.
In a video shared by his daughter, Veronica Duterte, the former president questioned the basis for his arrest, stating, “What is the law and what is the crime that I committed?”
The ICC’s investigation, which began in 2018, examines allegations of widespread and systematic extrajudicial killings during Duterte’s tenure.
Despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC in 2019, the court maintains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was a member.
Human rights advocates have lauded Duterte’s arrest as a pivotal move toward accountability.
Agnès Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, remarked that the arrest is “a long-awaited and monumental step for justice for the thousands of victims and survivors of his administration’s ‘war on drugs. ”
The Philippine government has yet to clarify the subsequent legal proceedings for Duterte, including the possibility of transfer of the former president to The Hague to stand trial.