Manila, Philippines – Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested Tuesday morning at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila upon his return from Hong Kong, following the issuance of a warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing him of crimes against humanity tied to his brutal “war on drugs.” The 79-year-old ex-leader, visibly frail and defiant, questioned the legal basis for his detention in a video posted to social media by his daughter, Veronica Duterte.
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In the video, filmed as he sat in a large chair at a table laden with food and drinks, Duterte demanded clarity: “What is the law and what is the crime that I committed? Show to me now the legal basis for my being here.” He had arrived at 9:20 AM local time (01:20 GMT) from Hong Kong, where he had been campaigning over the weekend ahead of the May 12 midterm election amid swirling rumors of an impending arrest warrant.
“Earlier this morning, Interpol Manila received the official copy of the warrant of arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC),” the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement. The country’s Prosecutor General served Duterte with the ICC notice for alleged crimes against humanity, and he was taken into custody by Philippine National Police (PNP) officers equipped with body cameras. “The former president and his entourage are in good health and have been examined by government doctors to ensure he is in good condition,” the office added.
Duterte was escorted to Villamor Air Base, where he remains under guard. Late Tuesday evening, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed that a plane carrying Duterte departed Manila at 11:03 PM local time, en route to The Hague, Netherlands, where the ICC is headquartered. “We complied with Interpol’s request, as per our commitments,” Marcos said, emphasizing adherence to legal protocols.
The ICC has been investigating Duterte since 2018 for his anti-drug campaign, which official records claim killed over 6,000 people, though human rights groups estimate a toll as high as 30,000. The probe spans 2011 to 2019, covering his time as Davao City mayor—where he implemented a similar policy—and his 2016-2022 presidency, up until he withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019. The court alleges these extrajudicial killings constitute crimes against humanity.
Airport Arrest and Duterte’s Defiance
The arrest unfolded swiftly. Duterte landed at NAIA and was immediately apprehended. Amid warrant rumors on Sunday in Hong Kong, he had told Filipino workers, “If this is really my fate in life, that’s okay, I will accept it. There’s nothing we can do.” His daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, claimed he was “forcibly taken” and called the transfer to The Hague “an affront to our sovereignty.”
Supporters rallied outside Villamor Air Base, where former aide Senator Bong Go arrived with pizza, urging calm: “Let’s just calm down and pray for former president Rodrigo Duterte.” Meanwhile, victims’ families held vigils in Manila, weeping for justice.
A Reckoning Long Awaited
Human rights advocates celebrated the arrest. The Rise Up for Life and for Rights alliance called it “proof that the declaration that Duterte and his accomplices are accountable for the implementation of the war on drugs is justified.” Dahlia Cuartero, mother of a victim, said, “The joy I felt today is incomparable, along with tears because of the joy of Duterte’s arrest.” Jane Lee, a widow of a drug war casualty, expressed “mixed emotions,” adding, “I really want to see Duterte in prison. They should pay for what they did to us.”
Politicians weighed in fiercely. Perci Cendaña of the Akbayan party and a deputy in Congress demanded Duterte “take full responsibility for the thousands of deaths caused by your bloody and morally bankrupt war on drugs,” calling his legacy one of “grave human rights abuses, rampant corruption, and a thirst for power.” Former Senator Leila de Lima, leader of Mamamayang Liberal, hailed the arrest as “the beginning of a much-needed reckoning,” referencing her own persecution under Duterte’s regime.
ICC Assistant to Counsel Kristina Conti insisted Duterte be sent to The Hague immediately: “When a person is arrested under a warrant from the ICC, he should be turned over to law enforcement of a member state and flown to The Hague ASAP,” she wrote on X.
Political Fallout and Uncertainty
The arrest marks a seismic shift. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019, arguing it lacked jurisdiction, but the court asserts authority over crimes committed during its membership period. The Marcos administration’s cooperation with Interpol reflects a rift with the Duterte dynasty, exacerbated by Sara Duterte’s recent impeachment woes.
As Duterte heads to The Hague to face charges of murder as a crime against humanity, the Philippines grapples with his legacy. If convicted, he could be the first Filipino leader sentenced by an international tribunal—a historic moment for a nation divided between his loyalists and those seeking justice for his bloody tenure.
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