FORMER Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on March 11, 2025, by local authorities under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Duterte was transferred to ICC custody on March 12, marking a significant development in the Court’s investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed during his administration’s war on drugs campaign.
The International Bar Association (IBA) welcomed Duterte’s arrest, pointing out its importance in ensuring justice for victims.
“The arrest of Rodrigo Duterte underscores the importance of the ICC for victims who cannot obtain justice through domestic legal systems. This is yet another sign that international justice remains critical, even years after the alleged crimes were committed,” IBA Executive Director Mark Ellis’s statement reads in part.
The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I issued the arrest warrant on March 7, 2025, citing reasonable grounds to believe Duterte bears responsibility for murder as a crime against humanity.
The warrant alleges that from 2011 to 2019, Duterte was the founder and head of the Davao Death Squad, Mayor of Davao City, and later President of the Philippines, and that he directed perpetrators to commit the alleged crimes.
Despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019, the ICC retains jurisdiction over crimes committed while the country was a State Party.
IBA ICC & ICL Programme Director Kate Orlovsky affirmed that Duterte will receive due process, while victims will have the right to participate in the proceedings.
“Thanks to international cooperation, those in the Philippines who have long called for justice will finally get their day in court,” Orlovsky said. (IBA)
