MANILA, Philippines (AP) – Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested Tuesday in an International Criminal Court order at Manila International Airport in connection with a case of crimes against humanity, the Philippines government said.
President Ferdinand Marcos said in a statement that Duterte was arrested after arriving from Hong Kong and police detained him under an order from the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“After the prosecutor arrived, he arrested the former president for the International Criminal Court notice, to arrest the criminal offender,” the government said. “He is now detained by authorities.”
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The surprise arrest sparked a commotion at the airport, with Duterte’s lawyers and aides yelling protests, who, along with doctors and attorneys, were stopped after being detained by police. “It’s an infringement of his constitutional rights,” said Senator Bong Go of Duterte’s ally. Tell reporters.
The International Criminal Court warrant issued to Philippine officials, who was seen by the Associated Press, said: “There are reasonable reasons to believe that the “attack on victims” is both broad and systematic: The attack took place for several years and thousands of people appeared to have been killed.”
Duterte’s arrest was “to ensure he appeared in court” according to a March 7 arrest warrant, adding that the former president is expected to ignore the court’s subpoena.
It said that although Duterte is no longer president, he “seems to continue to play a considerable amount of power.”
“Please note the risks of interference in the investigation and the safety of witnesses and victims, and it is necessary for the Chamber to be content with Mr. Duterte’s arrest.”
There was no immediate comment on Duterte’s arrest from the court or the prosecutor’s office of the International Criminal Court.
Duterte’s arrest and downfall shocked the victim’s family in tears in angering crackdown on illegal drugs.
“It’s a huge, long-awaited day,” Randy Delos Santos’ uncle who was killed by police in an August 2017 anti-drug operation in Metro Manila told the Associated Press.
“Now, we feel justice is rolling. We hope that senior police officers and hundreds of police officers suspected of illegal killing should also be detained and punished,” said Delos Santos.
Three police officers who killed his nephew Kian Delos Santos were convicted of high-profile murder in 2018, prompting Duterte to temporarily suspend his brutal anti-drug crackdown at the time.
To date, the must-have crime was targeted at least three of the law enforcement officers involved in the anti-drug campaign, reflecting the concern of alleged victims of extrajudicial killings that they would not receive justice in the Philippines, so they decided to seek help from the ICC.
It is unclear where Duterte was taken by police and when he was sent to Europe for ICC detention. The 79-year-old former leader is in good health, the government said.
Starting from November 1, 2011, the International Criminal Court began investigating Duterte’s killing under Duterte, who was still the mayor of the southern city of Davao until March 16, 2019, which was a possible crime against humanity. Duterte withdrew from Roman regulations in 2019. Filipino human rights activists say aimed at evading accountability.
The Duterte administration suspended global court investigations at the end of 2021, believing that Philippine authorities are already investigating the same allegations, and that the ICC (the Last Holiday Court) has no jurisdiction.
The ICC’s appeal judge ruled in 2023 that the investigation could be restored and rejected objections from the Duterte administration. Based in the Netherlands, the ICC can step in when states are unwilling or unable to prosecute the most outrageous international crimes, including genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. But the Marcos government said that if the International Criminal Court requires international police to pass the so-called red notice, it is a request from law enforcement agencies around the world to locate and temporarily arrest the suspect.
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Associated Press reporters in Manila Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila and Mike Corder of The Hague, Netherlands contributed to the report.
