Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, has been arrested in Manila on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant over allegations of crimes against humanity linked to his brutal war on drugs. The 79-year-old was taken into custody at Manila’s main airport on Tuesday after returning from a trip to Hong Kong.
Duterte, a populist strongman who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, oversaw a campaign that human rights groups say led to the extrajudicial killings of tens of thousands of people, mostly from poor urban communities. The ICC warrant accuses him of orchestrating a “widespread and systematic” policy of state-led violence targeting suspected drug users and dealers.
Philippine officials confirmed his arrest, but Duterte’s lawyer, Salvador Panelo, denounced the move as unlawful, arguing that the Philippines had withdrawn from the ICC under Duterte’s administration and was no longer bound by its rulings.
ICC cites Duterte’s ‘individual responsibility’
A three-judge panel at the ICC stated in its warrant that Duterte bore “individual responsibility” for the killings, not only during his presidency but also from his time as mayor of Davao, where he ruled with an iron fist for over two decades. The New York Times obtained a copy of the sealed warrant, labeled “secret.”
The arrest could mark a turning point for the families of victims who have long sought justice for loved ones slain under Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. Activists say the majority of those killed were impoverished Filipinos, many of whom had no direct links to the drug trade. Only a handful of police officers have ever been convicted in connection with the killings, which rights groups estimate at around 30,000 deaths.
“I am very happy that Duterte has been arrested so we can finally have justice,” said Cristina Jumola, whose three sons were killed in the drug war. “We waited so long for this.”
Legal battle looms over extradition
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Philippine government appeared willing to hand Duterte over to the ICC. An official familiar with the proceedings said a plane was on standby at Villamor Air Base to transport him to The Hague. However, Duterte’s legal team, led by his spokesman Harry Roque, rushed to file a court petition seeking his release.
Duterte, known for his defiance, struck a combative tone just minutes before his arrest. “You would have to kill me first, if you are going to ally with white foreigners,” he declared upon arrival in Manila, according to a video posted by GMA News.
His lawyer, Panelo, insisted the arrest was illegal, arguing that the ICC has no jurisdiction over the Philippines. However, the ICC maintains that it retains authority to investigate and prosecute crimes committed before the country’s withdrawal in 2019. The Philippines remains a member of Interpol, which assisted in the arrest.
Duterte’s reign of impunity under scrutiny
For years, Duterte projected an air of invincibility. As mayor of Davao, he launched a bloody anti-drug crackdown that continued on a national scale after he won the presidency in 2016, despite experts asserting that the Philippines did not have an extraordinary drug problem.
At his final campaign rally that year, Duterte infamously told supporters to “forget the laws on human rights.”
“You drug pushers, holdup men, and do-nothings, you better go out,” he warned. “Because I’ll kill you.” He also vowed to grant himself and his security forces immunity from prosecution and even suggested he would pardon himself for “multiple murder.”
While in office, Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the ICC after it began investigating extrajudicial killings. His administration reported 6,252 deaths officially linked to the drug war, though independent rights groups say the actual toll is far higher.
Political fallout and shifting alliances
Even after stepping down in 2022, Duterte remained a powerful figure in Philippine politics. His influence extended through an alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office with Duterte’s daughter, Sara, as his vice president. Marcos initially signaled resistance to cooperating with the ICC, but ties between the two camps quickly soured. By late 2023, ICC investigators were allowed back into the country, setting the stage for Duterte’s arrest.
Last year, the Philippine Congress launched an inquiry into Duterte’s drug war. While he refused to testify before the House of Representatives, he appeared in a Senate hearing in October, where he remained defiant.
“For all of its successes and shortcomings, I, and I alone, take full legal responsibility,” he declared. “For all the police did pursuant to my orders, I will take responsibility. I should be the one jailed, not the policemen who obeyed my orders.”
With his arrest, Duterte faces his greatest legal challenge yet—a reckoning that many Filipinos have long demanded.
