Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on Monday by Manila airport police after his arrival from Hong Kong, following an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The mandate accuses Duterte of crimes against humanity linked to its deadly “war on drugs”.
Duterte, 79, who was president of 2016 to 2022, carried out a controversial anti-drug campaign which led to thousands of deaths, many of whom have attributed to the police or unidentified attackers. Despite general criticism of human rights groups, Duterte maintained his position, saying once he was ready to face the prison.
The ICC launched its investigation into the drug war in 2021, covering the crimes committed from 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, until 2019, before the Philippines officially withdrew from the court. However, the ICC claims that it retains its jurisdiction over crimes committed before withdrawal.
The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) praised Duterte’s arrest as a “historic moment”. The president of ICHRP, Peter Murphy, underlined: “Today, the moral universe has looked towards justice. Duterte’s arrest marks the beginning of the responsibility of mass killings that defined its brutal rule. »»
However, the former Duterte spokesperson Salvador Panoulo condemned the arrest, the appellant “illegal”, citing the withdrawal of the CPI Philippines. The Duterte camp denied the allegations of crimes committed during the repression of the drug.
Duterte, who was in Hong Kong to campaign for his senatorial slate during the next elections on May 12, appeared in public using a cane. The authorities said that he was healthy and that he was followed by government doctors.
During his presidency, the “war against drugs” of Duterte was marked by an extreme rhetoric, including a controversial declaration comparing the drug addicts to the Jews killed in the Holocaust. He ordered the security forces to kill suspects of drugs, human rights groups saying that more than 6,000 people have been killed, although some reports suggest that the number could be higher.
Despite the international counterouss, the anti-drug campaign remained popular locally, a survey revealing that 82% of Filipino citizens supported President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial war against drugs.
In recent years, Duterte’s relationship with the current Philippin President Ferdinand Marcos has deteriorated, and it is not clear if Marcos would cooperate with the demand for extradition of the ICC.
The ICC investigation continues, despite Duterte’s attempts to block the procedure. The case sparked debates on the commitment of the Philippines with the International Court and its responsibility for human rights violations.
