Former Philippine President Duterte referred to ICC

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

He was arrested in Manila on an ICC warrant on charges of crimes against humanity during his anti-drug campaign.

Duterte, 79, is the first Asian president to be tried by the ICC. A former mayor and prosecutor, Duterte led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. Thousands of people have been killed in a nationwide anti-drug campaign during his presidency, drawing widespread condemnation and criticism.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said at a press conference that the plane carrying Duterte is heading to The Hague, Netherlands. The former president will face charges of crimes against humanity in his bloody anti-drug campaign. ’

Ferdinand Marcos also said, ‘We did not help the International Criminal Court in any way. He was arrested on the orders of Interpol.’

Meanwhile, the former president had been criticizing the ICC for many years before his arrest. Duterte withdrew his country from the ICC’s founding agreement in 2019 after it launched an investigation into allegations of killing drug traffickers against him.

According to the country’s police, 6,200 suspects have been killed in the anti-drug campaign under Duterte’s administration. All of them died of gunshot wounds. However, activists say the real number of deaths is likely much higher.

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