Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in Manila on Tuesday following an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant related to his controversial war on drugs. The 79-year-old faces charges of crimes against humanity, specifically murder, for a crackdown that human rights groups estimate led to the deaths of tens of thousands, many from impoverished communities and without proven links to drugs.
According to a statement from the presidential palace, authorities took Duterte into custody early in the morning after Interpol Manila received an official copy of the ICC arrest warrant. The statement confirmed that he was in good health and undergoing medical checks by government doctors.
Following his detention, Duterte questioned the legality of his arrest in a video posted on social media by his youngest daughter, Veronica. “What is the law and what is the crime that I committed? Show me now the legal basis of my being here,” he said. A photo from his political party indicated he was being held at Villamor Air Base, near Manila’s international airport.
His former chief legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, denounced the arrest as unlawful, claiming the Philippine National Police prevented Duterte’s lawyer from meeting him at the airport and failed to present a hard copy of the ICC warrant.
Reactions to the arrest were mixed. Rights groups that opposed Duterte’s anti-drug campaign welcomed the development. Rubilyn Litao, coordinator for the advocacy group Rise Up for Life and for Rights, said families of victims had been waiting for accountability. Human Rights Watch urged the government to swiftly surrender Duterte to the ICC, calling the arrest a crucial step toward justice in the Philippines.
Duterte was apprehended upon returning from a trip to Hong Kong, where he had addressed overseas Filipino workers. In his speech, he criticized ICC investigators and stated that he would accept arrest if it happened.
The ICC launched an inquiry into Duterte’s drug war in 2021, though it was temporarily suspended at Manila’s request while authorities reviewed domestic cases. The tribunal resumed the investigation in 2023, ruling that it retained jurisdiction despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC in 2019 under Duterte’s administration.
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Duterte remains a popular figure in Philippine politics. He is campaigning to regain his former post as mayor of Davao City in the upcoming midterm elections. While some police officers have faced local charges for drug-related killings, convictions remain rare. Duterte has consistently defended his policies, insisting his actions were necessary to protect the country from drug-related crime.
Government officials, including Undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Office Claire Castro, previously stated that the Philippines was obligated to assist Interpol if requested. However, the Marcos administration has repeatedly signaled its unwillingness to cooperate with the ICC investigation.
Among those present during Duterte’s arrest were top law enforcement officials and political allies, whose reactions varied from condemnation to cautious neutrality.
