Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte Arrested In Manila

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on Tuesday at the request of the International Criminal Court. The move is reportedly part of an investigation over mass killings that happened under the former president’s deadly crackdown against illegal drugs. He was arrested at Manila airport after flying back from Hong Kong.

Duterte, one of the Philippines’ most influential politicians, became president in 2016 after promising a crackdown that would rid the country of drugs. Since his election, between 12,000 and 30,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed in connection with anti-drugs operations, reported The Guardian. The report said that most of the victims were men in poor, urban areas, who were gunned down in the streets. Critics said the campaign failed to catch big-time drug lords.

The ICC started an investigation into Rodrigo Duterte's "war on drugs" in September 2021, and it covered cases from November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao, to March 2019. Notably, the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019. However, ICC earlier reportedly said that it has jurisdiction in the Philippines over alleged crimes committed before the nation withdrew as a member.