THE arrest and transfer of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is a significant step toward justice, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.
Duterte was arrested in Manila on March 11 by Philippine authorities acting on an ICC warrant issued through Interpol.
The former leader faces a crimes against humanity charge over alleged extrajudicial killings between 2011 and 2019. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed that Duterte departed Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 11:03 pm en route to The Hague.
“This is a long-overdue victory against impunity that could bring victims and their families a step closer to justice,” said Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
The ICC warrant cites extrajudicial killings during Duterte’s tenure as Davao City mayor and his nationwide “war on drugs” as president.
Official statistics report over 6,000 deaths in the anti-drug campaign, but human rights groups estimate more than 30,000, including children.
The ICC opened an investigation in 2021, despite Duterte withdrawing the Philippines from the court’s founding treaty in 2019.
The Marcos administration initially opposed the probe but later shifted its stance following a political rift with the Duterte camp in 2024.
Human Rights Watch called on Marcos to address ongoing human rights abuses and consider rejoining the ICC, a move gaining public support.
“Marcos has begun to chip away at impunity,” Lau said. “He should now rescind Duterte’s drug war policies and push for police reforms.”
