ALBAWABA - Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines was recently arrested in Manila after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant on him for his part in the deadly "war on drugs," which resulted in the killing of thousands while he was in office.
According to BBC, Duterte was taken into custody by local police after arriving at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Hong Kong. He was heard saying, "What crime [have] I committed?" during his arrest.
Additionally, Salvador Panelo who is Rodrigo Duterte's spokesperson disapproved of the arrest calling it "unlawful" stating that the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019.
Ex-Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte arrested in Manila
The government issued a statement and said, "Upon his arrival, the prosecutor general served the ICC notification for an arrest warrant to the former president for the crimes against humanity."
It states further that Duterte is now in "the custody of authorities."
In a speech that took place in Hong Kong on Saturday, Duterte defended his actions and claimed that he's done everything for the Filipino people despite causing the death of thousands of people including children.
According to Al Jazeera, Duterte's arrest comes after he launched the brutal drug war during his presidency term from 2016 to 2022, where he incited the police to shoot and kill individuals related to the distribution of harmful drugs.
This handout photo taken and released by the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) on March 11, 2025, shows former Philippines' president Rodrigo Duterte (C) inside the Villamor Air Base in Pasay, Metro Manila, after arriving from Hong Kong. Photo by Handout / PARTIDO DEMOKRATIKO PILIPINO–LAKAS NG BAYAN (PDP LABAN) / AFP)
The children killed during the war were dismissed as "collateral damage." Several human rights organizations celebrated his arrest.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) called the move "a critical step for accountability in the Philippines."
It added in a statement, "His arrest could bring victims and their families closer to justice and sends the clear message that no one is above the law. The Marcos government should swiftly surrender him to the ICC."
While it's claimed that more than 7,000 were killed during the brutal war, several human rights activists claim that the number was much higher, totaling to up to 30,000 casualties.
