On March 11, 2025, former President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, was arrested by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity committed during the “War on Drugs” campaign he spearheaded as both mayor and president.
Duterte was in Hong Kong rallying for the upcoming Philippine midterm elections when the ICC issued a final sealed warrant after nearly ten years of investigation. It was reported that the former president and his team were debating whether to return to the Philippines or to seek asylum in China, a territory not part of the tribunal.
Five different flights were booked by Duterte’s team to Manila, in addition to a private jet waiting to take him to Davao on March 11. Duterte arrived in Manila at around 09:30 in the morning, hours before he was officially announced to arrive. Duterte was immediately detained and flown to The Hague later that day.
“You would have to kill me first, if you are going to ally with white foreigners”, Duterte told the official who boarded his plane to inform him that he was to be arrested under an Interpol warrant granted by the ICC.
War on Drugs
Duterte was detained after an investigation on the War on Drugs campaign found sufficient evidence to believe that the former president was responsible for the widespread and systematic murder of civilians.
The War on Drugs was conducted by the Philippine government between November 2011 and March 2019, targeting suspected drug dealers. Suspects were not given the right to a trial or a lawyer. At least 30,000 people were killed extra-judicially according to human rights groups, in contrast to the 6,252 reported by the Philippine government.
“All of you who are into drugs, you sons of b**ches, I will really kill you. I have no patience. I have no middle ground.”
- Rodrigo Duterte, May 7, 2016
The campaign began when Duterte was mayor of Davao, a major city in the south of the Philippines, for a total of 22 years. He headed the Duterte Death Squad (DDS), a group of bounty hunters who persecuted suspected drug users and pushers. This then turned into a nation-wide campaign when Duterte was elected president in 2016.
Duterte and Marcos Jr. Fall Out
Duterte’s final arrest was only possible because of current Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s determination to act on the warrant. Marcos Jr. went from being Duterte’s ally in the 2022 elections to his main political rival, with Marcos and Duterte political dynasties having fallen out in recent months. In fact, current Vice President Sara Duterte, Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, resigned from Marcos Jr.’s cabinet last June. Sara has also threatened to behead Marcos Jr. in the past.
Timeline of His Arrest
- February 2018: ICC launches preliminary examination into Duterte’s crimes.
- March 2018: Duterte announces that the Philippines will withdraw from the ICC.
- March 2019: Withdrawal takes place. Investigations are temporarily suspended.
- While the Philippines is no longer part of the tribunal, the crimes committed in the country while it was still a State Party to the Rome Statute are still under the ICC’s jurisdiction.
- May 2021: Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC requests authorization to resume the investigation on the War on Drugs campaign.
- 10 February 2025: Office of the Prosecutor applies for an arrest warrant against Duterte for crimes against humanity of murder, torture, and rape.
- 07 March 2025: Arrest warrant is issued.
- 14 March 2025: Duterte attends the initial hearing discussing his rights under the Rome Statute and his alleged crimes.
- 23 September 2025: Confirmation of charges hearing is set to be held.
Duterte supporters gathering outside The Hague Penitentiary Institution. Image by Getty Images.
What Now?
After Duterte’s arrest, a series of protests broke out across the country and abroad, both condemning and supporting the arrested president. Activists and families of the war victims led vigils to commemorate those killed under Duterte’s administration. Meanwhile, there have also been demonstrations outside of the Hague Penitentiary Institution, led by Duterte’s supporters who advocate for his freedom, claiming that he was wrongly arrested.
Duterte’s arrest is not only a victory in the ongoing fight for justice for the War on Drugs victims, but also a testament to the Philippines’ extreme political polarization.
Featured image courtesy of The New York Times 2025.
