Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte arrested on ICC warrant in relation to crime against humanity case

According to Philippine government sources, former President Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested by police at Manila International Airport. The arrest warrant was issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and relates to charges of crimes against humanity brought against him.

The office of current President Ferdinand Marcos issued a statement saying that Duterte was arrested upon arrival from Hong Kong. Police detained him based on the International Criminal Court's order, as the ICC has been investigating the former president for mass killings that occurred during his campaign against illegal drugs.

The International Criminal Court launched an investigation on November 1, 2011, into drug-related killings that occurred during Duterte's tenure, including his time as mayor of Davao City, until March 16, 2019, believing they may constitute crimes against humanity. According to police data, Duterte's administration initiated a widespread and brutal anti-drug campaign, resulting in over 6,000 deaths, though independent observers believe the actual number of extrajudicial killings may be higher.

The Duterte government attempted to suspend the International Criminal Court's investigation in late 2021, arguing that Philippine authorities were already investigating the same allegations and claiming that the ICC, as a court of last resort, lacked jurisdiction. However, the International Criminal Court's appeals judges ruled in July 2023 that the investigation could resume, rejecting the Duterte government's objections.

The International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, Netherlands, can intervene when countries are unwilling or unable to prosecute suspects of the most heinous international crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Duterte withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019, a move human rights activists believe was aimed at evading accountability for the killings. Ferdinand Marcos, who succeeded Duterte in 2022, has engaged in a heated political dispute with the former president and has decided not to rejoin the International Criminal Court.

However, the Marcos government stated that it would cooperate if the International Criminal Court requested Interpol to detain Duterte through a so-called "red notice," which is a request for global law enforcement agencies to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition. "Earlier this morning, Interpol Manila received the official copy of the warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC)," the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.

Duterte returned to the Philippine capital, Manila, from Hong Kong on Tuesday, after delivering a fiery speech to local Filipino expatriates at a campaign rally in Hong Kong on Sunday. "Upon arrival, the Prosecutor General presented a notification from the ICC that a warrant of arrest for crimes against humanity has been issued for the former President," the statement said, adding that the former president is currently in the custody of authorities.

During the event in Hong Kong, Duterte vehemently criticized the International Criminal Court's investigation, following speculation that the international body would issue an arrest warrant for him for his role in the controversial drug war campaign. (Reported by CNN)