Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Arrested by ICC for War on Drugs, First Asian Ex-Head of State

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Updated Mar 13, 2025, 08:01 AM

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has taken full responsibility for his administration's controversial 'war on drugs' following his arrest and transfer to the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Duterte, who served as president from 2016 to 2022, faces charges of murder as a crime against humanity related to the drug war that resulted in the deaths of more than 6,000 people during his tenure. In a video message posted on his Facebook account, Duterte stated, '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.' He emphasized his readiness to face a long legal battle at the ICC, expressing his intention to continue serving his country despite the legal challenges ahead. Duterte's arrest marks his transfer to the ICC detention center, making him the first Asian former head of state to be prosecuted by the court. The ICC alleges that Duterte created, funded, and armed the 'Davao Death Squad' responsible for the murders of alleged drug users and dealers. His daughter, Sara Duterte, the current Philippine vice president, has traveled to The Hague to support her father's legal defense and plans to hold a news conference there. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described Duterte's arrest as 'a very important step towards seeking accountability for the thousands of victims of killings.' ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan stated that the execution of Duterte's arrest warrant 'is important to victims' and demonstrates that 'international law is not as weak as some may think.' China has warned the ICC against 'politicisation' and 'double standards,' saying it is 'closely monitoring' Duterte's case. The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under Duterte's leadership, but the court retains jurisdiction over crimes committed before the withdrawal.

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#Philippine #Rodrigo Duterte #International Criminal Court #ICC #The Hague #Duterte #Facebook #Asian #Davao Death Squad #Sara Duterte #Karim Khan #China #Philippines

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Sources

reuters.com(3)france24.com(2)news.sbs.co.kr cnews.fr

SBS 뉴스

@SBS8news

Former Philippine President Duterte imprisoned at ICC... “Everything is my responsibility” #SBS뉴스 https://t.co/Gjva7SdVk8

CNEWS

@CNEWS

“I assume my responsibilities”: the ex-president of the Philippines surrendered to the ICC for his murderous war against drug trafficking https://t.co/VyQP1MrcBi

Reuters

@Reuters

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he takes full responsibility for his administration's "war on drugs", in a video message posted on his Facebook account, as he braces for a legal battle at the International Criminal Court. https://t.co/F5xpin71Jn https://t.co/43I6590vy4