Philippines' ex-president Rodrigo Duterte arrested over 'war on drugs,' government says

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Mar 11, 2025 6:56 AM EDT | Last Updated: 13 minutes ago

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte was served an Interpol apprehension warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) connected his accomplishment astatine Manila's main airdrome connected Tuesday, the authorities said.

The ICC has said it would prosecute an probe of suspected crimes against humanity related to Duterte's relation successful overseeing a bloody "war connected drugs" that killed thousands of Filipinos.

Duterte had said connected Monday successful Hong Kong that helium was acceptable to beryllium arrested if the ICC issued a warrant and has repeatedly defended the anti-drugs crackdown. He has denied ordering constabulary to termination cause suspects unless successful self-defence.

The bureau of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said it received an authoritative transcript of the warrant, which was served connected Duterte by police. Duterte was present successful custody, it said successful a statement.

Duterte's erstwhile ineligible counsel Salvador Panelo said the apprehension was unlawful, and said the constabulary did not let 1 of his lawyers to conscionable Duterte astatine the airport.

The firebrand Duterte unilaterally withdrew the Philippines from the ICC's founding pact successful 2019 erstwhile it started looking into allegations of systematic extrajudicial killings, and the Philippines had until past twelvemonth refused to co-operate with the ICC investigation.

The "war connected drugs" was the signature run argumentation that swept Duterte to powerfulness successful 2016 arsenic a maverick, crime-busting mayor, who delivered connected promises helium made during vitriolic speeches to termination thousands of narcotics dealers.

According to police, 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations that they accidental ended successful shootouts. But activists accidental the existent toll of the crackdown was acold greater, with thousands of cause users successful the country's slums, galore of whom were included connected authoritative "watch lists," killed successful mysterious circumstances.

Police contradict engagement successful those killings and cull allegations from rights groups of systematic executions and cover-ups.