The International Criminal Court has been investigating Rodrigo Duterte over allegations tied to widespread killings in his past drug war.
2025.03.09
Manila
Philippines ‘prepared’ for ICC arrest order against ex-leader Duterte: Officials
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks inside the Southorn Stadium in Hong Kong during a thanksgiving gathering for the former populist Filipino leader organized by Hong Kong-based Filipino workers, March 9, 2025.
Vernon Yuen/AP
The Philippines is ready to assist Interpol should the International Criminal Court order former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest over his past government’s bloody crackdown on illegal drugs, Marcos administration officials said.
Unconfirmed reports were circulating during the weekend saying The Hague-based ICC was expected to issue an arrest order soon for the ex-Philippine leader in connection with its investigation into Duterte.
“We’ve heard that an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court against former President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity,” Presidential Communications Office Secretary Jay Ruiz said in a brief statement issued Sunday.
“The government is prepared for any eventuality.”
Press Undersecretary Claire Castro later clarified that there was “no confirmation” yet on the ICC arrest warrant, but said that “if Interpol will ask for the necessary assistance from the government, it will provide [assistance].”
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The 79-year-old Duterte is being investigated by the ICC Office of the Prosecutor over alleged crimes against humanity that were committed when police in the Philippines killed thousands of suspected drug addicts and dealers during his time in office (2016-22).
The investigation also covers a period when he previously served as mayor of Davao, where the tough-talking and notoriously foul-mouthed Duterte built a reputation for coming down hard on illegal drugs in that southern Philippine city.
In response to an email query from BenarNews on Sunday about unconfirmed reports that an ICC arrest order for Duterte was imminent, the ICC’s prosecutor’s office issued a statement saying it “does not comment on ongoing investigations and has no comment on these reports.”
“The Office has an ongoing investigation in relation to the situation in the Philippines. This investigation focuses on crimes allegedly committed on the territory of the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019 in the context of the so-called ‘War on Drugs’ campaign,” the office’s Public Information Unit went on to say.
“Confidentiality is a crucial part of our work and is essential to protect the integrity of investigations and to ensure the safety and security of victims, witnesses, and all those with whom the Office interacts.”
Meanwhile, efforts by BenarNews to contact Duterte, and his spokesman or lawyer were unsuccessful over the weekend.
During the weekend, the former president was visiting Hong Kong, where he addressed an event attended by a large crowd of Filipino expatriate workers and his supporters, according to news reports.
During his speech in Hong Kong on Sunday, he touched on reports about the ICC arrest warrant.
“I have so many cases piling up,” the Daily Tribune, a Philippine newspaper, quoted Duterte as saying.
“Honestly, from what I hear, there’s a warrant for me at the ICC or something. They’ve been after me for a long time, those [expletive].”
The ex-leader has never denied his heavy-handed approach to combatting the narcotics trade, insisting it was necessary to rid the Southeast Asian country of criminality.
“I can make the confession now if you want. I’m really doing it, but don’t involve the police,” Duterte told a congressional hearing last November. “I have a death squad, seven men, but they’re not police. They’re gangsters.”
At least 6,200 suspects were killed during the Duterte administration’s anti-narcotics campaign, according to the government’s latest figures. However, human rights groups have put the number as high as 20,000-plus.
Meanwhile, the Marcos administration’s position on the ICC investigation into Duterte’s drug war has changed significantly.
It had initially resisted ICC efforts to investigate and prosecute Duterte, but lately the administration has softened its stance. In July 2024, it indicated that it would not block ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan from interviewing people who were allegedly involved in Duterte’s drug war.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was elected president in May 2022, in a landslide win where Sara Duterte, Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, was his running mate.
But the alliance between the Marcoses and Dutertes – two of the most powerful families in Philippine politics – has since crumbled over an open public feud between President Marcos and Vice-President Duterte.
Imran Vittachi contributed to this report from Washington.
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