Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was extradited to The Hague on Tuesday, just hours after being arrested in Manila on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant linked to his controversial “war on drugs,” Reuters reported.
Duterte, 79, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was taken into custody in what marks the most significant step in the ICC’s probe into alleged crimes against humanity during his anti-drug campaign, which claimed thousands of lives.
“The plane is en route to The Hague, in the Netherlands, allowing the former president to face charges of crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody war on drugs,” Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr told reporters.
“We did not help the International Criminal Court in any way. The arrest was made in compliance with Interpol,” he added.
Duterte’s campaign, which saw thousands of suspected drug dealers and users killed, sparked global condemnation. Despite withdrawing the Philippines from the ICC in 2019 to avoid prosecution, the court maintained jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was still a member.
Duterte has consistently defended the crackdown, saying he only authorised killings in self-defence and was willing to “rot in jail” to rid the Philippines of illicit drugs.
Human rights groups and victims’ families hailed his arrest as a milestone for justice.
“This is only the start of our fight. Our justice has not yet been achieved, but we will not stop fighting,” said Llore Pasco, 70, whose two sons were killed in the drug war.
Official police figures state that 6,200 people were killed in drug operations under Duterte. However, activists argue the real toll could be as high as 30,000, with many deaths occurring in mysterious circumstances, often involving people on community watch lists.
While in custody, Duterte questioned his transfer to the ICC. “Why will you bring me to an international body when we are no longer a member?” he asked.
His family and supporters denounced the arrest, calling it a violation of Philippine sovereignty. His daughter, Veronica Duterte, posted on Instagram: “They took dad from us, put him on a plane and wouldn’t say where to. People, wake up.”
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, a close Duterte ally, also criticised the move, saying, “Long gone are the days when foreigners dictated how we run our internal affairs.”
Duterte now faces trial for crimes against humanity, with the ICC alleging he personally oversaw extrajudicial killings while serving as mayor of Davao City before becoming president.
Leila de Lima, a former justice minister who was jailed under Duterte after investigating the killings, praised victims’ families for their resilience.
“Your voices mattered, your courage mattered,” she said.
