- Duterte arrested in Manila after ICC issued a warrant for crimes against humanity.
- He questions the arrest, activists call it a ‘historic moment’ for justice.
- His brutal anti-drug campaign killed thousands, with critics alleging extrajudicial executions.
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested in Manila following an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity over his controversial “war on drugs.”
The 79-year-old ex-leader was taken into police custody at Manila’s airport shortly after arriving from Hong Kong, where he had been campaigning for the upcoming May 12 mid-term elections. Duterte, who had planned to run for mayor of Davao, has remained defiant, insisting he committed no crime.
Defiance Amid Arrest
Upon his arrest, Duterte questioned the basis of the ICC warrant. “What crime have I committed?” he asked. His daughter, Veronica Duterte, later shared a video showing him in custody at Villamor Air Base, where he continued to challenge the legality of his detention.
“What is the law and what is the crime that I committed? I was brought here not of my own volition. You have to answer now for the deprivation of liberty,” he said.
Duterte’s former presidential spokesperson, Salvador Panelo, condemned the arrest as “unlawful,” arguing that the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 and is no longer subject to its jurisdiction. However, the ICC maintains that it retains authority over crimes committed before the country’s withdrawal.
A ‘Historic Moment’ for Victims
Human rights activists have hailed Duterte’s arrest as a breakthrough for justice.
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but today, it has bent towards justice. Duterte’s arrest is the beginning of accountability for the mass killings that defined his brutal rule,” said Peter Murphy, chairman of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP).
The ICC’s case against Duterte dates back to his tenure as mayor of Davao and later as president from 2016 to 2022. His anti-drug campaign, characterized by police shootings and extrajudicial killings, left thousands dead, with rights groups suggesting the actual death toll could be far higher than official figures.
The Bloody ‘War on Drugs’
Duterte’s rise to power was fueled by his reputation as a tough enforcer. As mayor of Davao for 22 years, he transformed the city into one of the Philippines’ safest urban areas, gaining nationwide popularity.
Upon assuming the presidency in 2016, he launched a violent anti-narcotics crackdown, ordering security forces to “shoot drug suspects dead.” Official records put the death toll at over 6,000, though human rights groups claim the real figure is significantly higher.
A previous UN report found that many victims were young men from poor urban areas. Police, operating with broad authority, frequently conducted warrantless house raids, forcing suspects to make self-incriminating statements or risk lethal force.
Critics argue the campaign disproportionately targeted low-level drug offenders rather than major traffickers. Many families of the deceased insist their loved ones were innocent victims caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Parliamentary investigations have pointed to the existence of a shadowy “death squad” operating with impunity. Duterte has consistently denied any abuse of power.
“Do not question my policies because I offer no apologies, no excuses,” he told lawmakers in a 2021 inquiry. “I did what I had to do, and whether or not you believe it… I did it for my country.”
Ongoing ICC Investigation
The ICC first began monitoring Duterte’s alleged abuses in 2016 and officially launched its investigation in 2021. The probe covers cases from November 2011, during his tenure as Davao mayor, to March 2019, just before the Philippines exited the ICC.
Authorities in Manila have confirmed Duterte remains in custody and is in “good health,” under the care of government doctors.
FURTHER READING
- Man Murders Wife, Hides in Ceiling to Evade Arrest
- Yellow Aboki, Close Ally of Late Bandit Kingpin Bamamu, Eliminated in Zamfara
- ‘We Inherited a Mess’ – Ratcliffe Criticizes Man United Players
Watch Our Video Of The Week
