Philippines Ex-President Duterte Arrested Over Deadly Drug War

Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in Manila on Tuesday on the basis of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant. The 79-year-old is charged with “crimes against humanity” for his controversial war on drugs that rights organizations report killed tens of thousands of people, mostly poor individuals.

The arrest came after Duterte returned from a trip to Hong Kong. His arrest came after an ICC investigation into killings during his presidency and earlier when he was mayor of Davao. Although the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019, the court still claimed jurisdiction over past events.

Duterte’s arrest was welcomed by some groups, especially those who have been victims of the drug war, but was branded illegal by others, including Duterte’s own former lawyer. Duterte, who remains popular with most Filipinos, has denied any wrongdoing and is standing for Davao mayor in next month’s polls.