Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on Tuesday at Manila’s main airport following the service of an Interpol arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), according to the Philippine government.
ICC Investigation into Duterte’s Role in ‘War on Drugs’
The ICC has initiated an investigation into Duterte’s role in overseeing a controversial “war on drugs” that allegedly led to crimes against humanity, including the killings of thousands of Filipinos. Duterte had previously stated in Hong Kong on Monday that he was prepared to be arrested if the ICC issued a warrant. He has consistently defended the anti-drug campaign, which has been widely criticized both locally and internationally.
Duterte has denied any involvement in directing police to kill drug suspects, claiming that such actions were only permitted if police were acting in self-defense.
The office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed that the government had received an official copy of the arrest warrant, which was served to Duterte by police. He is now in custody, the office said in a statement.
Duterte’s former legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, called the arrest unlawful, stating that police had not allowed one of Duterte’s lawyers to meet him at the airport.
Duterte’s Withdrawal from the ICC and Past Controversies
Duterte had withdrawn the Philippines from the ICC’s founding treaty in 2019 when the court began investigating claims of extrajudicial killings under his regime. Since then, the Philippines had largely refused to cooperate with the ICC’s investigation.
The “war on drugs” was the centerpiece of Duterte’s presidential campaign in 2016. He had promised to crack down on crime as a tough, crime-fighting mayor and continued this approach as president. Police report that 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations, which they claimed ended in shootouts. However, human rights organizations argue that the actual number of deaths was much higher, with many slum dwellers and drug users targeted in mysterious killings. These deaths were allegedly tied to official “watch lists” and were carried out in secret.
Police deny any involvement in the extra-judicial killings and have rejected accusations of systematic executions and cover-ups, as reported by rights groups.
What The Author Thinks
The arrest of Duterte highlights an important point—no leader should be above accountability. If indeed his actions as president led to crimes against humanity, it is crucial for the ICC to investigate and, if necessary, bring him to justice. While there are disagreements over the methods of policing, human lives should never be sacrificed for a political agenda.
Featured image credit: GetArchive
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