Former Philippine President Arrested Based on ICC Warrant Accusing Him of Crimes Against Humanity

• Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on an ICC warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity over his deadly "war on drugs"
• Duterte questioned the basis for the warrant and urged the Supreme Court not to comply with the ICC's request
• Activists hailed the arrest as a "historic moment" for those who perished in his drug war and their families

CHECK OUT: Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with LEGIT. Enroll Now!

Manila, Philippines – Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by police on March 11 after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity over his deadly "war on drugs."

The 79-year-old was taken into police custody shortly after his arrival at Manila airport from Hong Kong.

Duterte's response and legal actions

According to BBC, reports from local media indicated that Duterte was on board a private jet on the airport tarmac.

Earlier, his daughter stated that he was being "forcibly" sent to The Hague in the Netherlands, where the ICC is located.

Duterte has offered no apologies for his brutal anti-drugs crackdown, which saw thousands of people killed during his presidency from 2016 to 2022 and his tenure as mayor of Davao City before that.

Upon his arrest, Duterte questioned the basis for the warrant, asking, "What crime [have] I committed?" in a video posted online by his daughter Veronica Duterte.

In response to his arrest, a petition was launched on his behalf in the Supreme Court, urging them not to comply with the ICC's request.

Duterte also called for a declaration that the Philippines' withdrawal from the ICC in 2019 "effectively terminated" its jurisdiction over the country and its people.

Supporters and activists react

Some of Duterte's supporters rallied at the gates to Villamor Air Base, where the former president was taken following his arrest.

State media reported that more than 370 police had been deployed to ensure peace was maintained.

While his supporters criticised the arrest, activists called it a "historic moment" for those who perished in his drug war and their families.

Duterte had been in Hong Kong to campaign for the upcoming 12 May mid-term elections, where he had planned to run again for mayor of Davao.

Footage aired on local television showed him walking out of the airport using a cane. Authorities stated that he was in "good health" and was being cared for by government doctors.

ICC seeks arrest warrants against Netanyahu

Legit.ng earlier reported that the International Criminal Court (ICC) intends to issue arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar. As reported by CNN on Monday, May 20 the warrant against Netanyahu hinges on alleged crimes against humanity for Israel’s conduct in the Gaza war.

Warrants will also be issued for Sinwar and other Hamas leaders: Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammed Deif al-Masri, over the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

ICC's prosecutor, Karim Khan, disclosed that his team has a “variety of evidence” to support the application for arrest warrants against Sinwar, Haniyeh and al-Masri, including authenticated video footage and photographs from the attacks as well as evidence from eyewitnesses and survivors.