ASEANEWS-COURTS & CRIME | MANILA, Philippines/ROTTERDAM, Netherlands: Duterte admits responsibility as ICC detains him
WATCH VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd9zzuif5ZY
Duterte admits responsibility as ICC takes him into custody | ANC
Duterte Arrest LIVE: Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s Confession Video to ICC |Drugs
Exterior of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. —Associated Press Photo/Peter Dejong, File
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MANILA, Philippines/ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Former President Rodrigo Duterte is now in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) following his arrest on a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity over the bloody war on drugs that his administration oversaw.
The ICC itself confirmed taking custody of Duterte in a statement made after the former president landed at Rotterdam The Hague airport at around 4:55 p.m. (11:55 p.m. Philippine time) on a chartered plane.
‘I take responsibility’
Before landing, Duterte released a video statement on his and a close advisor’s Facebook pages, addressing his countrymen.
“I am the one who led our law enforcement and military. I said that I will protect you and I will be responsible for all of this,” Duterte, 79, said.
“I have been telling the police, the military, that it was my job and I am responsible,” he added, making him the first Asian former head of state to face charges at the ICC.
The ICC, based in The Hague, believes there are “reasonable grounds” to charge Duterte with murder as a crime against humanity, as an “indirect co-perpetrator” during the anti-drug campaign that rights groups estimate killed tens of thousands.
A vehicle believed to be carrying Duterte later drove into the ICC detention center in The Hague, passing through a crowd of supporters, some waving Philippine flags and shouting, “Bring him back.”
READ: Rodrigo Duterte arrives in The Hague
“There has been no due process,” said caregiver Duds Quibin, 50. “This is kidnapping. They just put him on a plane and brought him here,” he told AFP
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Memento Maxima Digital MarketingDuterte will be held there until an initial court appearance, expected in the coming days.
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The ICC’s case against Duterte
According to the ICC, the Office of the Prosecutor applied for an arrest warrant against Duterte on February 10, 2025, for crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, and rape.
The Pre-Trial Chamber I, composed of Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc and Judges Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou and María del Socorro Flores Liera, issued the warrant on Friday, March 7.
The Chamber cited reasonable grounds implicating Duterte as an indirect co-perpetrator of murder, allegedly committed in the Philippines between November 1, 2011, and March 16, 2019.
It also referenced killings in Davao City when Duterte was mayor, citing at least 19 murders carried out by the so-called “Davao Death Squad,” which judges believe was under Duterte’s command. Additionally, at least 24 people were killed by Philippine police in various locations, according to the ICC.
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READ: ICC cites reasonable grounds in issuing arrest order for Duterte
What’s next?
According to the ICC, after Duterte’s arrival, a hearing will be scheduled following his initial appearance before the Court.
“During this hearing, the Chamber will confirm the identity of the suspect and the language in which Mr. Duterte is able to follow the proceedings,” the ICC said.
“The Chamber will also satisfy itself that Mr. Duterte has been informed of the crime which he is alleged to have committed and of his rights under the Rome Statute, which is the Court’s founding treaty,” it added.
ICC Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler thanked Philippine authorities for “upholding international accountability mechanisms.”
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Political fallout
Duterte’s arrest has sparked reactions from both supporters and critics.
Before her father’s departure, Vice President Sara Duterte called the transfer “oppression and persecution,” claiming he was “forcibly taken to The Hague.”
The arrest further underscores the deepening political rift between the Duterte family and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The former allies have been at odds since the 2022 elections, where Sara Duterte ran as Marcos’s vice-presidential candidate. She now faces a Senate trial on corruption charges and an alleged assassination plot against Marcos.
Meanwhile, Duterte’s arrest has been welcomed by victims of his drug war.
At a church in Manila, families of those killed in the anti-drug campaign gathered to express their relief.
“Duterte is fortunate, there’s due process for him. There was no due process for my son,” said Emily Soriano, whose son Angelito was killed during the drug war.
“Duterte will be lying down on a good bed. My son is already rotting in the cemetery,” she added.
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READ: EXPLAINER: What’s next after arrest of Rodrigo Duterte?
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International reactions
WATCH VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sogHcGJH2R4
What’s behind Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest by the ICC? | Inside Story
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UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk described Duterte’s arrest as “a very important step towards seeking accountability for the thousands of victims of killings.”
China, however, criticized the ICC’s move, warning against “politicization” and “double standards” in Duterte’s case.
Meanwhile, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan defended the court’s decision, saying the arrest was proof that “international law is not as weak as some may think.”
Duterte remains a potent political force in the Philippines, still popular among those who supported his hardline approach to crime. However, his surrender marks a significant moment in international criminal justice, reinforcing the principle that no one is above the law.
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Rodrigo Duterte’s final words before ICC custody: ‘So be it’
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MANILA, Philippines — Just before former President Rodrigo Duterte was taken into the International Criminal Court’s custody, he seemed to accept his fate, saying he would “take accountability for everything.”
This came after he questioned his arrest, appearing unsure of what he could have done for all of this to happen to him.
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Duterte arrived at Rotterdam The Hague Airport in the Netherlands on Wednesday, March 12, at 11:53 p.m. (PST). Before disembarking, he released a two-minute video message assuring his supporters that he was “okay” despite the long flight.
“Just to give you the current situation, I am about to land sa Hague, galing ako Dubai (I cam from Dubai). [It was] a long flight. Okay lang ako (I am okay). Do not worry,” the former president said in a Facebook post.
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The next thing he said was something familiar as he had already said this months ago when he served as a resource person in congressional hearings over his anti-illegal drug campaign’s extrajudicial killings.
RELATED: After daring ICC to investigate, Duterte refuses arrest: ‘You will just have to kill me’
“Sinasabi ko naman sa pulis [at] military na magtrabaho kayo at ako ang managot. So, ito na nga, for all of the — whatever happened in the past, ako na ‘yung nagfront sa ating enforcement at military,” Duterte said.
(I always told the police [and] military to do their jobs, and I would take responsibility. So here it is — for whatever happened in the past, I was the one who stood at the forefront of our law enforcement and military.)
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He then vowed to “protect” the police, saying, “Ako ang managot sa lahat (I will take responsibility for everything).”
During his sole appearance at the House Quad Comm hearing, Duterte said he should take the fall for his police officers’ actions — legal or not — because he was the man who gave the orders.
“Akin ‘yun. Ako ang nagbigay ng order kasi ginawa nila. Illegal or legal, akin ‘yun. I take full responsibility,” he said on Nov. 13, 2024.
(That’s mine. I gave the order because they did it. illegal or legal, it’s mine. I take full responsibility.)
Duterte also said he would take responsibility for any “collateral damage” caused by police during operations. However, the extrajudicial killings under his so-called “war on drugs” were not mere accidents, as he implied at that time.
Human rights groups have documented between 12,000 and 30,000 killings during Duterte’s drug war, while government data puts the number at over 6,000.
Both drug suspects and innocent civilians fell to police bullets, including hundreds of Filipino children. Reports show that most cases never underwent due process or proper investigation, dismissed instead as instances of “nanlaban” or fighting back any attempts of arrest.
RELATED: ‘We hope you feel our pain’: Drug war victims hail arrest of Rodrigo Duterte
The former president has a history of backtracking on his statements, saying one thing, only to retract it later. Now, he claims he will take responsibility.
Ending his speech, which may be one of his last now that he is in ICC detention, Duterte said: “So be it, kung ganu’n ang destiny ko (if that is my destiny).”
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Duterte on March 7 for crimes against humanity charges, which Philippine authorities served through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) on March 11, shortly after his return from Hong Kong.
That same day, at 11:03 p.m., he left the Philippines on a chartered flight. Duterte is now in the court’s custody, with a hearing set to be scheduled soon.
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Rodrigo Duterte
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This article is about a person involved in a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (March 2025)
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Rodrigo Duterte
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Official portrait, 2016
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| 16th President of the Philippines | |
| In office June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022 |
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| Vice President | Leni Robredo |
| Preceded by | Benigno Aquino III |
| Succeeded by | Bongbong Marcos |
| 19th Mayor of Davao City | |
| In office June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2016 |
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| Vice Mayor | Paolo Duterte |
| Preceded by | Sara Duterte |
| Succeeded by | Sara Duterte |
| In office June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010 |
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| Vice Mayor | Luis Bonguyan (2001–07) Sara Duterte (2007–10) |
| Preceded by | Benjamin de Guzman |
| Succeeded by | Sara Duterte |
| In office February 2, 1988 – March 19, 1998 |
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| Vice Mayor | Dominador Zuño Jr. (1988–92) Luis Bonguyan (1992–95) Benjamin de Guzman (1995–98) |
| Preceded by | Jacinto Rubillar (OIC) |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin de Guzman (acting) |
| Vice Mayor of Davao City | |
| In office June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2013 |
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| Mayor | Sara Duterte |
| Preceded by | Sara Duterte |
| Succeeded by | Paolo Duterte |
| In office May 2, 1986 – November 27, 1987 Officer in Charge |
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| Mayor | Zafiro Respicio |
| Preceded by | Cornelio Maskariño (OIC) |
| Succeeded by | Gilbert Abellera (OIC) |
| Member of the House of Representatives from Davao City‘s 1st district | |
| In office June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Prospero Nograles |
| Succeeded by | Prospero Nograles |
| Chairman of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino | |
| Assumed office February 7, 2016 |
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| President | Koko Pimentel Manny Pacquiao Alfonso Cusi Jose Alvarez Robin Padilla |
| Preceded by | Ismael Sueno |
| Chairman of the Davao City Liberal Party | |
| In office 2009 – February 21, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Peter Laviña |
| Personal details | |
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Rodrigo Roa Duterte
March 28, 1945 |
| Political party | Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (1998–2009; 2015–present)[a][1][2] Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod (local party; 2011–present) |
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Liberal (2009–15)[1][2] Nacionalista (1990–98)[3] Lakas ng Dabaw (1988)[4] |
| Spouse | |
| Domestic partner | Honeylet Avanceña (c. 1996–present) |
| Relations | Duterte family |
| Children | |
| Parent(s) | Vicente Duterte Soledad Roa |
| Residence(s) | Scheveningen, Netherlands |
| Education | Holy Cross College of Digos (secondary) |
| Alma mater | Lyceum of the Philippines University (BA) San Beda College (LL.B) |
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Early political career
Personal and public image
Post-presidency
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Rodrigo Roa Duterte KGCR (English: /dəˈtɜːrteɪ/, Filipino: [ɾodˈɾiː.ɣo ˈɾoː.ɐ dʊˈtɛːɾ.tɛ] ⓘ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody,[5] and by the initials DU30 and PRRD,[6][7] is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (formerly PDP–Laban), the ruling political party in the Philippines during his presidency. Duterte is the first president of the Philippines to be from Mindanao,[8][9] and is the oldest person to assume office, beginning his term at age 71.[10]
Born in Maasin, Leyte (now in Southern Leyte), Duterte moved to Davao as a child where his father, Vicente Duterte, served as provincial governor. He studied political science at the Lyceum of the Philippines University, graduating in 1968, before obtaining a law degree from San Beda College of Law in 1972. He then worked as a lawyer and was a prosecutor for Davao City, before becoming vice mayor and, subsequently, mayor of the city in the wake of the 1986 People Power Revolution. Duterte won seven terms and served as mayor of Davao for over 22 years, during which the once crime-ridden city became peaceful and investor-friendly.[11][12]
Duterte’s 2016 presidential campaign led to his election victory. During his presidency, his domestic policy focused on combating the illegal drug trade by initiating the controversial war on drugs, fighting crime and corruption,[13][14][15] and intensified efforts against terrorism and communist insurgency. He launched a massive infrastructure plan,[16][17] initiated liberal economic reforms,[18] streamlined government processes,[19] and proposed a shift to a federal system of government which was ultimately unsuccessful.[20] He also oversaw the controversial burial of Ferdinand Marcos,[21][22] the 2017 Battle of Marawi,[23] and the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[24] He declared the intention to pursue an “independent foreign policy”, and strengthened relations with China and Russia.[25] He initially announced his candidacy for vice president in the 2022 election; in October 2021, he said he was retiring from politics. The next month, he filed his candidacy for senator but withdrew it on December 14.[26]
Duterte’s political positions have been described as populist,[27][28][29] as well as nationalist.[30][31][32] His political success has been aided by his vocal support for the extrajudicial killing of drug users and other criminals.[33] His career has sparked numerous protests and attracted controversy, particularly over human rights issues and his controversial comments. Duterte has repeatedly confirmed to have personally killed criminal suspects during his term as mayor of Davao.[34][35] Extrajudicial killings that were allegedly committed by the Davao Death Squad between 1998 and 2016 during Duterte’s mayoralty have also been scrutinized by human-rights groups and the Office of the Ombudsman.[36][37] The victims were mainly alleged drug users, alleged petty criminals, and street children.[38][39] The International Criminal Court opened a preliminary investigation into Duterte’s drug war in 2018,[40] prompting Duterte to withdraw the Philippines from the body in response.[41] He is the only president in the history of the Philippines not to declare his assets and liabilities.[42] Duterte’s popularity and domestic approval rating remained relatively high throughout his presidency and by the end of his term, he was the most popular post-People Power Revolution president.[43][44][45] The International Criminal Court’s investigation led to Duterte’s arrest and extradition to The Hague on March 11, 2025.[46][47]
Early years
