Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested by police in Manila after returning from Hong Kong following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.
According to various media reports, Interpol Manila received a copy of the arrest warrant issued by the ICC against Duterte and the Manila police arrested him upon his arrival on Tuesday morning. The arrest relates to the former President’s infamous war on drugs which is said to have seen tens of thousands of people killed.
Philippine police were deployed at the airport in the presence of the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Inspector General of Police and representatives of the International Criminal Police Organization.
In a statement issued Tuesday morning, Malacañang said the chief of police had arrested Duterte under an ICC warrant and that the PNP officers who carried out the operation were wearing body cameras to ensure the arrest was made in accordance with procedures.
Duterte, who served as President from 2016 to 2022, made a high-profile pronouncement before he took office that he would kill drug dealers and traffickers. After taking office, he honored his promise to launch a years-long “anti-drug” campaign which allegedly led to the deaths of thousands. He also oversaw the rise of the nation’s offshore gaming, or POGO, industry which was banned by current President Ferdinand Marcos last year.
The ICC issued a red arrest warrant against Duterte, accusing him of committing crimes against humanity during the anti-drug campaign.
Duterte has been aware of his impending arrest for some time. At an event in Hong Kong on Sunday, he said he was ready to go to jail and asked Filipinos in Hong Kong, “What crime have I committed? If this is my destiny, I will accept it. They can arrest me, they can jail me.”
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