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13 Mar 2025 11:49
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  •   Home > News > International

    Rodrigo Duterte in custody of International Criminal Court on crimes against humanity charges

    The former Philippine president is expected to face a preliminary hearing in coming days.


    Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte is in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after being arrested on crimes against humanity charges linked to his "war on drugs".

    The ICC confirmed the charges shortly after his arrival in the Netherlands on Wednesday.

    His arrival was delayed after a long layover in Dubai, during which he received medical checks.

    He's expected to be transferred to a detention centre on the Dutch coast, before facing an initial court appearance in coming days. He has always denied wrongdoing.

    "He was arrested by the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines in accordance with an arrest warrant issued by Pre-Trial Chamber I for charges of murder as a crime against humanity," the ICC said in a statement.

    The ICC's warrant for his arrest states that as president he created, funded and armed death squads that carried out murders of purported drug users and dealers.

    The ICC had been investigating into mass killings linked to the so-called war on drugs since 2021.

    Some human rights groups claim up to 30,000 people were killed in the crackdown championed by Mr Duterte.

    He could become the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the ICC in The Hague. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

    His arrest in Manila on Tuesday was announced by current Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who said the former leader was arrested after returning from a trip to Hong Kong.

    Small groups of supporters and people who backed his arrest demonstrated on Wednesday local time outside the ICC.

    About 20 anti-Duterte protesters gathered earlier outside the ICC in The Hague with banners, including one that said: "We demand justice and accountability."  

    Human rights groups and families of victims have hailed Mr Duterte's arrest as a significant step toward justice.

    The mother of a victim of the crackdown, Emily Soriano, said she wanted more officials to face justice.

    "Duterte is lucky he has due process, but our children who were killed did not have due process," she said.

    Lawyer and former congressman Neri Colmenares, who is representing families of the victims, told the ABC some wished to tell their stories in court at the ICC.

    "What we are asking is that the families of the victims would be given a chance to also present their evidence and express themselves during the trial, because they they were deprived of such opportunity during the long time under President Duterte

    "This is about affording the families of the victims their right to have their day in court … this is a light at the end of the tunnel in their search for justice."

    However the former president's supporters and legal team have said his arrest was illegal and have sought to have him returned home.

    Possible legal challenges ahead

    Lawyers for Mr Duterte had launched a petition in the Supreme Court trying to force local authorities not to comply with the warrant issued by the ICC.

    While the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC, the alleged crimes took place before it withdrew from the court.

    Mr Duterte's daughter, Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte, criticised the Marcos administration for surrendering her father to a foreign court which she said had no jurisdiction over the country.

    She said she would travel to The Hague to meet with her father in detention and speak to his lawyers.

    Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the arrest in Manila was "proper and correct" and was not motivated by politics.

    Any challenge to the court's jurisdiction or admissibility of the case could take months, and any trial could take years.

    ABC/wires

    © 2025 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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