Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested Tuesday on charges of crimes against humanity linked to his deadly war on drugs, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant accusing Duterte of orchestrating the killings of thousands during his six-year presidency and his 22-year tenure as mayor of Davao.
Following his arrest, the 79-year-old was transported on a flight to The Hague, Netherlands, where the ICC is based.
“This is not justice, this is oppression and persecution,” Sara Duterte, the former president’s daughter, complained, according to the Western Journal.
According to Human Rights Watch, since Duterte assumed the presidency on June 30, 2016, his war on drugs has resulted in the deaths of more than 12,000 Filipinos accused of drug dealing. At least 2,555 of these killings have been attributed to the Philippine National Police, who have sometimes been accused of fabricating evidence to justify their actions, the outlet reported.
“If I make it to the presidential palace I will do just what I did as mayor. You drug pushers, holdup men, and do-nothings, you better get out because I’ll kill you,” Duterte told a crowd of more than 300,000 on the eve of his election victory on May 9, 2016.
Duterte’s war on drugs began long before his presidency, dating back to his 22-year tenure as mayor of Davao, which started in 1988. The ICC arrest warrant accuses him of leading the so-called “Davao Death Squad” during his time as mayor.
These squads, made up of police officers and hitmen, were tasked with eliminating criminals suspected of drug trafficking. According to the Associated Press, one police officer claimed that his squad, along with other police and civilian units, was responsible for the deaths of up to 10,000 suspects.
Duterte’s harsh tactics earned him the nicknames “The Punisher” and “Duterte Harry.”
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, his tenure as mayor transformed Davao from a lawless city into one of the safest areas in Southeast Asia. Duterte denied allegations that he ordered targeted killings, claiming that he instructed police to shoot only in self-defense, as reported by the Journal.
The arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his transfer to the International Criminal Court is a historic step toward justice.
This sends a message to human rights abusers everywhere that they could be held to account.
Read more: https://t.co/CZ7qjlpztY pic.twitter.com/YZAn07Dwtg
— Human Rights Watch (@hrw) March 12, 2025
Despite his controversial reputation, Duterte left office in 2022 with approval ratings exceeding 70 percent, according to the Journal.
His daughter, Veronica, shared footage of him questioning his arrest while seated inside Villamor Air Base, the headquarters of the Philippine Air Force in Manila.
“What is the law and what is the crime that I committed. Show to me now the legal basis for my being here,” Duterte said. “I was brought here not of my own volition. It’s somebody else’s.”
Meanwhile, the Philippine Senate announced it will investigate the arrest and transfer of Duterte to the International Criminal Court.
On Monday, Sen. Imee Marcos—sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.—declared an “urgent investigation.” Duterte’s detainment and deportation last week have unsettled the nation’s political landscape ahead of the May midterm elections, Al Jazeera reported.
“It is imperative to establish whether due process was followed and to ensure that his legal rights were not just upheld but protected,” said Marcos, who heads the Senate’s foreign relations committee. “Our sovereignty and legal processes must remain paramount,” she said, acknowledging that the arrest “has deeply divided the nation.”
The Senate has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday and invited law enforcement and other government officials to provide testimony, the outlet added. Duterte is the first Asian former head of state charged by the ICC.