Former Leader Sent to The Hague on International Criminal Court Warrant for Alleged Crimes Against Humanity
Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested under an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant and transferred to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity related to his brutal war on drugs, which resulted in thousands of deaths.
Duterte, 79, was detained upon his arrival in Manila on Tuesday after returning from a trip to Hong Kong. The office of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed the arrest, stating that Duterte was taken into custody in compliance with the country’s international obligations. Marcos later announced that a plane carrying Duterte departed Philippine airspace at approximately 11 p.m. local time en route to The Hague.
Footage released by local media showed the former leader boarding an aircraft at Villamor Air Base. Duterte’s daughter and current Vice President, Sara Duterte, condemned the arrest, calling it a “blatant affront to our sovereignty” and claiming her father had been “forcibly taken” to the Netherlands.
President Marcos, however, denied accusations of political persecution, emphasizing that Duterte’s arrest was part of the Philippines’ commitment to international law. “This action aligns with our duties under Interpol and what is expected from a democratic country,” he stated.
