Philippine former President Rodrigo Duterte is now in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after his arrest in connection with his deadly war on drugs during his presidency. The ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor has confirmed that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Duterte bears criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of murder, which occurred from November 2011 to March 2019. As part of this period, Duterte allegedly committed widespread and systematic attacks against civilians as founder and head of the notorious “Davao Death Squad.” The ICC says his transfer to the Netherlands, where he can face trial in The Hague, is a crucial step towards ensuring accountability for victims of serious crimes under ICC jurisdiction. Duterte’s daughter, Sara, has called the move an act of “oppression and persecution.” The Office of the Prosecutor will now prepare for Duterte’s initial appearance and subsequent judicial proceedings to determine whether he stands trial.
Source: https://www.axios.com/2025/03/13/rodrigo-duterte-philippine-arrest-icc-hague-drugs-war