On Tuesday, March 11, former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in Manila after returning from Hong Kong, following the execution of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity related to his controversial war on drugs. The arrest has sparked a legal battle, with Duterte’s legal team immediately questioning the legitimacy of the process.
The Arrest and Immediate Reaction
Duterte landed in Manila around 10:30 a.m., where he was promptly met by authorities. The Prosecutor General, Richard Anthony Fadullon, served the ICC arrest warrant shortly after his arrival. The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) confirmed that the warrant had been transmitted to INTERPOL Manila earlier that morning, making the arrest official.
Despite the smooth execution of the warrant, Duterte’s legal team reacted strongly, arguing that the arrest was unlawful. Former legal counsel Atty. Salvador Panelo claimed that the police had violated Duterte’s rights by denying him legal representation at the airport. Panelo also argued that the arrest lacked a hard copy of the warrant, which he described as critical for validating the action.
Duterte’s Defiance
In a video shared by his daughter, Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, the former president appeared frustrated with the situation. Sitting in a chair at Villamor Airbase, he questioned the legal grounds for his detention, saying, “What is the law and what is the crime that I committed? Prove to me now the legal basis for my being here, apparently I was brought here not of my own volition, it’s somebody else’s.” His defiant attitude was clear, as he insisted on seeing proof of the legal basis for the arrest.
Duterte has long expressed his readiness to face the charges brought against him by the ICC, which is investigating his administration’s drug war. The court alleges that thousands of deaths occurred during the crackdown, with human rights groups claiming the number may be as high as 30,000. Despite the allegations, Duterte has consistently defended his actions, arguing that they were necessary to protect the Philippines from the drug trade.
