Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is now in the hands of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after being detained his arrest on charges of crimes against humanity of for his role in the deadly anti-drug campaign during his presidency. If convicted, the 79-year-old could get up to a life sentence.
Duterte was stopped at Rotterdam The Hague Airport on March 12, 2025, one day after his arrest in Manila. The ICC’s leading prosecutor, Karim Khan, said the arrest was a “key step” to guarantee accountability for victims. Amnesty International hailed it as a ‘monumental and long-awaited step for justice’.
Duterte backers, on the other hand, condemned the developments, accusing present Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos of handing over the former leader to a foreign court. Vice President Sara Duterte, his daughter, disapproved of the Marcos government, and plans to talk with her father in the Hague. 
Duterte’s first court appearance will establish his identity and the charges filed against him. ICC judges believe he bears “reasonable grounds” on charges of crimes against humanity as an “indirect co-perpetrator” when he was mayor and president.
Although the Philippines left the ICC in 2019, the court claims jurisdiction over crimes alleged to have been committed before the withdrawal. Duterte’s lawyers will put up a fight against court’s jurisdiction.
Families of war-on-drugs victims still hold out for justice, ailing from their lost loved ones. In the meantime, Duterte insists that he is not guilty, saying, “This will be a long court proceeding. I will go on to do service to my fellow countrymen.”
