Philippine ex-leader Duterte en route to The Hague to face charges of crimes against humanity

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was on Tuesday on his way to The Hague, the Netherlands, to face International Criminal Court accusations that he committed crimes against humanity during his deadly war on drugs.

Duterte, 79, who left office in 2022, was arrested earlier on an Interpol warrant at the international airport in Manila after his arrival from Hong Kong.
Rights groups say tens of thousands of unarmed suspects were murdered in extrajudicial killings during Duterte’s crackdown on narcotics dealers, allegations he has denied. The populist politician campaigned heavily on his “drug war” policy while running for office in 2016, and it defined his presidency.

"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," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a televised statement late on Tuesday.

The International Criminal Court is based in The Hague.

Salvador Panelo, a former lawyer and spokesperson for Duterte during his presidency, said in a statement that Duterte’s arrest was unlawful and that he has no legal representation, Reuters reported.