Before his departure, Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte stated that her father was being “forcibly taken to The Hague.” A plane carrying former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte left Manila bound for The Hague on Tuesday night following his arrest on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant related to his deadly war on drugs, President Ferdinand Marcos announced. The 79-year-old faces charges of “the crime against humanity of murder,” according to the ICC, for a crackdown that rights groups estimate killed tens of thousands of mostly poor men, often without proof they were linked to drugs. “Former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte took off at 11:03 pm this evening and exited Philippine airspace,” Marcos told a press briefing shortly after takeoff. “The plane is en route to The Hague in the Netherlands, allowing the former president to face charges of crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody war on drugs.” Duterte was arrested at Manila’s international airport on Tuesday after “Interpol Manila received the official copy of the warrant of arrest from the ICC,” the presidential palace said in a morning statement. The arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation into Duterte’s controversial anti-drug campaign, which has been widely criticized for its brutality and lack of due process. Human rights groups have long called for accountability for the thousands of extrajudicial killings that occurred during Duterte’s presidency. The ICC has been investigating Duterte since 2018, focusing on allegations of crimes against humanity committed during his six-year tenure. Despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC in 2019, the court maintains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a member. Duterte’s arrest has sparked a mix of reactions, with some praising the move as a step towards justice, while others, including his supporters, view it as politically motivated. The former president has consistently defended his actions, claiming that his war on drugs was necessary to protect the Filipino people from the scourge of illegal drugs. As Duterte heads to The Hague, the international community will be closely watching the proceedings, which could set a precedent for holding former leaders accountable for human rights abuses. The outcome of the case will have far-reaching implications for the Philippines and the broader fight against impunity for state-sponsored violence.
