March 13, 2025
MANILA/ROTTERDAM – Former President Rodrigo Duterte is now in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) following his arrest on a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity over the bloody war on drugs that his administration oversaw.
The ICC itself confirmed taking custody of Duterte in a statement made after the former president landed at Rotterdam The Hague airport at around 4:55 p.m. (11:55 p.m. Philippine time) on a chartered plane.
‘I take responsibility’
Before landing, Duterte released a video statement on his and a close advisor’s Facebook pages, addressing his countrymen.
“I am the one who led our law enforcement and military. I said that I will protect you, and I will be responsible for all of this,” Duterte, 79, said.
READ: Rodrigo Duterte arrives in The Hague
“I have been telling the police, the military, that it was my job and I am responsible,” he added, making him the first Asian former head of state to face charges at the ICC.
Back in November 2024, during a House hearing on the drug war, the former president said the same thing about taking responsibility.
But after the hearing, Salvador Panelo, his chief legal counsel during his term, explained what he thought Duterte meant when he took “full and legal responsibility.”
“They could not understand each other. Duterte clearly said his policy when he was the president was he placed on his shoulder, the success or failure of the war on drugs, so any consequences arising therefrom he will assume responsibility,” he said.
Still, the ICC, based in The Hague, believes there are “reasonable grounds” to charge Duterte with murder as a crime against humanity, as an “indirect co-perpetrator” during the anti-drug campaign that rights groups estimate killed tens of thousands.
A vehicle believed to be carrying Duterte later drove into the ICC detention center in The Hague, passing through a crowd of supporters, some waving Philippine flags and shouting, “Bring him back.”
“There has been no due process,” said caregiver Duds Quibin, 50. “This is kidnapping. They just put him on a plane and brought him here,” he told AFP.
The detention center, located near the North Sea coast, provides each detainee with a private cell equipped with a computer to work on their case, along with an outdoor exercise area.
Duterte will be held there until an initial court appearance, expected in the coming days.
ICC’s case against Duterte
According to the ICC, the Office of the Prosecutor applied for an arrest warrant against Duterte on February 10, 2025, for crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape.
The Pre-Trial Chamber I, composed of Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc and Judges Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and María del Socorro Flores Liera, issued the warrant on Friday, March 7.
READ: ICC cites reasonable grounds in issuing arrest order for Duterte
The Chamber cited reasonable grounds implicating Duterte as an indirect co-perpetrator of murder, allegedly committed in the Philippines between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019.
It also referenced killings in Davao City when Duterte was mayor, citing at least 19 murders carried out by the so-called “Davao Death Squad,” which judges believe was under Duterte’s command. Additionally, at least 24 people were killed by Philippine police in various locations, according to the ICC.
What’s next?
According to the ICC, after Duterte’s arrival, a hearing will be scheduled following his initial appearance before the Court.
“During this hearing, the Chamber will confirm the identity of the suspect and the language in which Mr. Duterte is able to follow the proceedings,” the ICC said.
“The Chamber will also satisfy itself that Mr. Duterte has been informed of the crime which he is alleged to have committed and of his rights under the Rome Statute, which is the Court’s founding treaty,” it added.
ICC Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler thanked Philippine authorities for “upholding international accountability mechanisms.”
Political fallout
Duterte’s arrest has sparked reactions from both supporters and critics.
Before her father’s departure, Vice President Sara Duterte called the transfer “oppression and persecution,” claiming he was “forcibly taken to The Hague.”
The arrest further underscores the deepening political rift between the Duterte family and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The former allies have been at odds since the 2022 elections, where Sara Duterte ran as Marcos’s vice-presidential candidate. She now faces a Senate trial on corruption charges and an alleged assassination plot against Marcos.
READ: EXPLAINER: What’s next after arrest of Rodrigo Duterte?
Meanwhile, Duterte’s arrest has been welcomed by victims of his drug war.
At a church in Manila, families of those killed in the anti-drug campaign gathered to express their relief.
“Duterte is fortunate, there’s due process for him. There was no due process for my son,” said Emily Soriano, whose son Angelito was killed during the drug war.
“Duterte will be lying down on a good bed. My son is already rotting in the cemetery,” she added.
International reactions
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk described Duterte’s arrest as “a very important step towards seeking accountability for the thousands of victims of killings.”
China, however, criticized the ICC’s move, warning against “politicization” and “double standards” in Duterte’s case.
Meanwhile, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan defended the court’s decision, saying the arrest was proof that “international law is not as weak as some may think.”
Duterte remains a potent political force in the Philippines, still popular among those who supported his hardline approach to crime. However, his surrender marked a significant moment in international criminal justice, reinforcing the principle that no one is above the law.