Manila, March 11 – Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Philippine government confirmed today.

According to a statement from the Office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Duterte was detained by law enforcement authorities in compliance with an ICC warrant executed through Interpol. The former president is now in custody.

The ICC has been investigating Duterte’s controversial war on drugs, alleging that it may constitute crimes against humanity. Reports indicate that thousands of individuals were killed in anti-drug operations conducted from 2016 to 2022 under Duterte’s administration.

A day before his arrest, while speaking in Hong Kong, Duterte said, “If the ICC wants to arrest me, I am ready to face them. I have done nothing wrong except protect my country from drugs.”

While the Marcos administration confirmed the arrest, Duterte’s former legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, condemned the ICC’s actions as “illegal.” He also claimed that police authorities prevented Duterte’s lawyers from immediately accessing him following the arrest.

In 2019, Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, after the court launched a preliminary investigation into drug war-related deaths. The Philippine government had refused to cooperate with the ICC until 2024.

Official records state that approximately 6,200 drug suspects were killed in police operations. However, human rights organizations argue that the real number is significantly higher, with many deaths occurring under unclear circumstances, particularly in urban poor communities.

Duterte’s arrest marks a significant turning point in the debate over the accountability of national leaders for anti-crime policies. Whether the ICC will be able to prosecute Duterte will depend on the Philippine government’s response and the upcoming legal proceedings.