Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested in connection with his controversial war on drugs. The International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered his arrest for the thousands of deaths that happened during his time in office from 2016 to 2022.
Duterte was taken into custody on Tuesday when he arrived at Manila’s main airport from Hong Kong. The government confirmed the arrest in an official statement. He is now being held at Villamor Air Base in Manila.
Duterte, a former mayor and prosecutor, won the presidency in 2016 with a strong anti-drug campaign.
He promised to crack down on drug dealers and users, and police operations resulted in thousands of deaths. Official figures say at least 6,200 people died, but activists believe the real number is much higher.
If Duterte is sent to the Hague, he will be the first former Asian leader to stand trial at the ICC. He has always defended his war on drugs, saying police only killed in self-defense.
In a video posted by his daughter, Veronica Duterte, he questioned his arrest, saying, “What law did I break? What crime did I commit?”
While Duterte insists his actions were to rid the country of drugs, human rights groups accuse him of leading a violent and unlawful campaign. Now, the world is watching to see what happens next.
