Facing crimes against humanity, Rody turned over to ICC

He was not the first former Philippine president charged and detained after leaving Malacañang, but Rodrigo Duterte made history last year as the first Asian former head of state to be arrested and surrendered to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

- By JANVIC MATEO

The widely popular Duterte, described as the “punisher” whose administration was marked by human rights violations linked to his bloody war against illegal drugs, was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on March 11 upon his arrival from a political rally with his supporters in Hong Kong.

President Marcos, erstwhile ally of the Duterte family, justified the arrest by citing the Philippines’ commitment to the International Criminal Police Organization or Interpol, through which the ICC coursed the warrant.

Following his arrest, Duterte was held in custody at the Villamor Air Base for hours and, with his lawyers failing to secure a restraining order from the Supreme Court, flown in a private jet to The Hague in the Netherlands shortly before midnight.

On March 12, upon his arrival in The Hague, the ICC confirmed that the Pre-Trial Chamber I had issued an arrest warrant against Duterte for charges of crimes against humanity of murder.

Two days later, the former president appeared before the tribunal for the first time - via video conference from the ICC Detention Center - for his initial appearance hearing.

What followed in the succeeding months was a slew of challenges and appeals seeking the release of the 80-year-old Duterte, who once vowed to physically assault ICC judges if ever he were arrested.

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