MANILA – Former President Rodrigo Duterte, once known for his tough stance and fiery rhetoric, is now in custody after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity related to his controversial drug war.
On March 11, 2025, the ICC sought assistance from Interpol to enforce the arrest warrant, which was served as soon as Duterte landed in Manila following a campaign event in Hong Kong with his political party’s senatorial candidates. The Philippine National Police (PNP) cooperated in executing the warrant, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signaled his administration’s willingness to comply with the ICC’s directive.
This marks a notable shift from Marcos’ earlier position, where he had dismissed the ICC’s jurisdiction and argued that the tribunal had no authority over the Philippines’ internal affairs. However, tensions between Marcos and the Duterte family escalated after Duterte’s daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, faced impeachment proceedings in February 2025. Sara was accused of making assassination threats against Marcos and misusing public funds, with her trial set to begin in July.
The fallout from these events led Duterte to accuse President Marcos of being a drug addict during his campaign speeches, a claim Marcos has denied. The shift in Marcos’ stance, coupled with his political tensions with the Duterte family, led to his cooperation with the ICC’s arrest request.
The ICC, which does not have its own police force, relied on Interpol and its member-states to carry out the arrest. The PNP, accompanied by an Interpol representative, served Duterte the arrest warrant at the airport. Duterte was then escorted through a back exit and taken away in a police van, along with his common-law wife, Honeylet Avancena.
Although the Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under Duterte’s directive, the court maintains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was a member. The ICC’s investigation focuses on the drug war killings during Duterte’s presidency, particularly from 2016 to 2019, when over 6,000 drug suspects were allegedly killed. Human rights groups contend the true death toll may be much higher, including unreported extrajudicial killings by police and vigilantes.
Duterte, in his recent Hong Kong speech, acknowledged the arrest warrant, saying he was ready to face possible imprisonment. “If this is truly my fate in life, it’s OK, I will accept it,” he said. “They can arrest me, imprison me.”
