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Rodrigo Duterte, who is accused of crimes against humanity over his deadly war on drugs, could become the first Asian former head of state to be tried by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was arrested early Tuesday in Manila, marking the biggest step yet in the ICC’s investigation into alleged crimes against humanity during an anti-drug crackdown that killed thousands and drew condemnation around the world.
The ICC’s warrant for his arrest says that as president, Duterte created, funded and armed “death squads” in his war on drugs that carried out murders of purported drug users and dealers.
In coming days, he will be brought before a judge and will have the allegations read out in court. Prosecutors accuse him of crimes against humanity for systematic attacks that led to dozens of murders.
A source at the ICC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the plane carrying the former president to Rotterdam, the airport serving The Hague, had taken off from Dubai, which was also confirmed by flight tracker websites.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told a news conference on Tuesday that the plane carrying Duterte was en route to The Hague, saying that would allow the former president “to face charges of crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody war on drugs.”
Duterte’s youngest daughter, Veronica, plans to file a habeas corpus request with the Philippine Supreme Court to compel the government to bring him back, said Salvador Panelo, his former chief legal counsel. nbcnews.com
Online Reporter