Former President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines has been arrested in Manila, following a police operation prompted by an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant related to his controversial war on drugs.
At 79 years old, Duterte faces serious allegations, specifically the ICC’s charge of “the crime against humanity of murder.” This charge arises from a crackdown that, according to human rights organizations, has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of primarily low-income individuals, often with little or no evidence of their involvement in drug-related activities.
“Early in the morning, Interpol Manila received the official copy of the arrest warrant from the ICC,” stated the presidential palace. “He is currently in the custody of authorities.”
In a video statement, Duterte expressed his frustrations: “So what is the law and what is the crime that I committed? Show to me now the legal basis of my being here. I was brought here not of my own volition but somebody else’s … you have to answer now for the deprivation of liberty.”
While the video did not specify its location, a photograph released by Duterte’s political party indicates that he is being held at Villamor Air Base, adjacent to Manila Airport.
His former legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, contested the legitimacy of the arrest, calling it “unlawful.” He added, “The Philippine National Police denied one of his lawyers access to meet him at the airport and to question the legal basis for his arrest.”
In contrast, reactions from opponents of Duterte’s drug policies were marked by celebration. Activists who have long supported families of victims from the drug war described the arrest as a “very welcome development.” Rubilyn Litao, coordinator for Rise Up for Life and for Rights, noted, “The mothers whose husbands and children were killed because of the drug war are very happy; they have been waiting for this for a very long time.”
The Philippine rights alliance Karapatan echoed this sentiment, urging President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure Duterte’s transfer to the ICC for his trial, deeming the arrest “long overdue.” Human Rights Watch further stated that the arrest symbolizes “a critical step for accountability in the Philippines.”
In contrast, China cautioned the ICC against “politicisation” and championed the need for impartiality regarding Duterte’s case, stating that it is “closely monitoring the development of the situation.”
Following his arrest at Manila’s international airport after a brief visit to Hong Kong, Duterte confronted the investigation head-on, labeling ICC investigators as “sons of whores” yet remarked he would “accept it” if arrest was indeed his fate. It’s noteworthy that the Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under Duterte’s directive, although the tribunal maintains it retains jurisdiction to investigate deaths that occurred prior to the withdrawal, including incidents from Duterte’s time as mayor in Davao City.
In September 2021, the ICC initiated a formal inquiry, which was briefly suspended two months later when the Philippine government announced it was reviewing hundreds of cases concerning drug-related fatalities. The investigation resumed in July 2023 after a five-judge panel dismissed the Philippines’ objections regarding the court’s jurisdiction.
Despite ongoing developments, the Marcos administration has repeatedly stated its reluctance to cooperate with the investigation. Yet, Undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Office, Claire Castro, commented, “If Interpol requests the necessary assistance from the government, it is obliged to follow.”
It’s important to recognize that Duterte still enjoys significant support among many Filipinos who appreciate his aggressive stance on crime. He remains an influential figure in politics, currently campaigning to reclaim his position as mayor of Davao in the upcoming mid-term elections.
Locally, charges have been filed in a few cases linked to drug operations that resulted in fatalities; however, only nine police officers have been convicted for their roles in the deaths of alleged drug suspects. Duterte, often blunt about his approach, previously encouraged law enforcement to use lethal force against drug suspects if their lives were in jeopardy, advocating that the crackdown was necessary to save families and prevent the country from becoming a “narco-politics state.”
During an October Senate investigation into the drug war, Duterte asserted, “I offered no apologies, no excuses for my actions. I did what I had to do, and whether or not you believe it or not, I did it for my country.”
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring.
