Philippine former president Rodrigo Duterte has been taken into custody after an international criminal court issued a warrant for his arrest over alleged crimes against humanity committed during his “war on drugs” campaign. The ICC accuses Duterte of killing up to 30,000 people, mostly men in poor urban areas, as part of the anti-drugs crackdown.
Duterte was arrested at Manila airport on Tuesday after flying back from Hong Kong. He is now under custody of authorities and will face charges related to his policies during his presidency.
Critics of Duterte’s “war on drugs” say that justice has finally caught up with him, as human rights groups welcome the arrest as a major breakthrough for families who lost loved ones to the campaign.
The ICC’s investigation covers alleged crimes committed from 2011 to 2019, including extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses. The court’s decision comes after years of speculation about an imminent arrest warrant.
Duterte remains an influential figure in Philippine politics despite his arrest. His daughter Sara Duterte is the current vice-president, while President Ferdinand Marcos has taken a more cautious approach to cooperating with the ICC.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/11/rodrigo-duterte-arrest-manila-former-philippines-president-war-on-drugs-ntwnfb