Former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte attends the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee probe into the War on Drugs in the Philippines, on October 28, 2024- Credit: Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau of the Philippines / Wikimedia Commons - License: Public Domain

Former president of the Philippines currently being taken to The Hague after ICC arrest

Former President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, is currently on his way to The Hague after he was arrested at the request of Interpol after a warrant for his arrest was issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He is wanted for "murder as a crime against humanity.” The crimes are believed to have been committed between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019.

The Philippines were also members of the ICC until Duterte pulled the country out of it during his time as president. The country did remain a part of Interpol, which meant that they had no choice but to comply when Interpol requested the arrest.

The country’s vice president and Duterte’s daughter, Sara Duterte, is planning on following her father to The Hague, news site Rappler reported. She wants to speak with lawyers about where her father is being taken.

Duterte is expected to be taken to The Hague Penitentiary Institution, where the ICC has its own detention center, which is controlled by the United Nations.

Sara Duterte said that she was able to speak to her father before the departure of her plane. She is said to have advised him not to accept any food or water from people upon arrival.

The 46-year-old has been vice president under the country’s president Ferdinand Marcos jr since 2022. She also has a trial awaiting her as she is accused of corruption and planning an assignation attempt against Marcos. Duterte has denied the accusations.

The plane carrying Rodrigo Duterte will likely land at Rotterdam The Hague Airport on Wednesday morning. A spokesperson for the airport confirmed that a flight from Manila will land there between 6:45 a.m. and 7:05 a.m. but does not know whether Duterte is onboard the plane.