Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested at Manila airport after the ICC issued a warrant over his deadly war on drugs. He faces charges of crimes against humanity, with the Marcos administration indicating potential cooperation with the ICC.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was taken into custody at Manila airport on Tuesday following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in connection with his controversial "war on drugs."

"Early in the morning, Interpol Manila received the official copy of the warrant of arrest from the ICC," read a statement from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s office. "As of now, he is under the custody of authorities."

Officials confirmed that the 79-year-old former leader was in good health and had undergone a medical examination conducted by government doctors.

Duterte was returning from Hong Kong when the arrest took place. Prior to his arrival, he had publicly stated that he was prepared to be taken into custody.

According to the ICC, Duterte faces a charge of "the crime against humanity of murder."

During his presidency from 2016 to 2022, Duterte oversaw an aggressive anti-drug campaign that resulted in the deaths of thousands of individuals. His pledge to wage a relentless war on drugs was a central theme of his 2016 election campaign, which ultimately propelled him to power.

Official police records indicate that 6,200 suspects were killed in anti-drug operations. However, human rights activists argue that the true number of casualties from Duterte’s crackdown is significantly higher.

While in office, Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in response to its investigation into extrajudicial killings linked to his administration’s drug policies.

The ICC had initially launched a formal inquiry into these killings in September 2021. However, the probe was temporarily suspended two months later when Manila announced it was conducting its own review of drug-related deaths. In July 2023, the investigation resumed after a panel of five ICC judges rejected the Philippines' claim that it had the jurisdiction to handle the matter independently.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who assumed office in 2022, has had a strained political relationship with Duterte and his daughter, Sara Duterte. Despite his decision not to reinstate the Philippines' ICC membership, Marcos’ administration has indicated that it would comply with an ICC request for Duterte’s detention if an international Red Notice is issued. This type of notice calls upon law enforcement agencies across the world to locate and provisionally arrest a suspect.

Following Duterte’s arrest, his former legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, denounced the move, labeling it as unlawful.

Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, the ICC is responsible for prosecuting individuals accused of severe international crimes, including war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. It intervenes in cases where national governments are unable or unwilling to pursue justice against alleged perpetrators.

Dmytro Hubenko is a journalist at DW's newsroom who covers international stories, with a particular focus on developments in Ukraine.