Philippines ex-leader Duterte arrested after ICC warrant

Philippine police have arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant, accusing him of crimes against humanity in his bloody "war on drugs." Duterte was arrested shortly after arriving at Manila airport from Hong Kong.

During his presidency from 2016 to 2022, Duterte implemented a harsh crackdown on drugs, resulting in the deaths of thousands. The 79-year-old had previously stated that he was ready to go to jail in response to reports of a possible arrest.

The Philippine International Coalition for Human Rights called the arrest a "historic moment." Coalition Chairman Peter Murphy stated: "The arc of the moral universe is long, but today, it has bent toward justice. Duterte's arrest is the beginning of holding him accountable for the mass killings during his brutal rule."

But Duterte's former presidential spokesperson, Salvador Panelo, slammed the arrest as "illegal" because the Philippines had withdrawn from the International Criminal Court. The ICC had stated earlier that it has jurisdiction in the Philippines over alleged crimes that occurred before the country's withdrawal.

Duterte traveled to Hong Kong to campaign for his senatorial candidates in the upcoming May 12 midterm elections. Local television footage showed him walking out of the airport with a cane. Authorities stated that he was "in good health" and was being cared for by government doctors.

Duterte, who was once the mayor of one of the country's largest cities, rose to prominence quickly by promising a widespread crackdown on crime. But critics say his "war on drugs" led to police abuse of power and the extrajudicial killings of many drug suspects. He has denied the allegations.

He cultivated a tough, anti-establishment populist image, endearing himself to Filipinos, who elected him as the country's first president from Mindanao in the south. His daughter, Sara Duterte, is the current Vice President of the Philippines and is considered a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential election.

In recent months, the alliance between the Duterte family and current President Ferdinand Marcos has rapidly unraveled in public, not long after Marcos and Sara Duterte won a landslide victory in the 2022 elections.