Acting on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and sent to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), Philippine authorities arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte in Manila on March 11, 2025. The following day, he was transferred to the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands, to face allegations of crimes against humanity related to his so-called “war on drugs” between 2011 and 2019.
While many Filipinos believe that Duterte should be held accountable for the thousands of drug war killings under his government, his arrest is also viewed as a politically contentious event in the pursuit of international justice.
It is observed that Duterte’s detention was made possible not solely by the enforcement powers of the ICC, but also by a shift in domestic political alliances within the Philippines. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. decided to cooperate with Interpol amid rising tensions with the Duterte camp, ahead of the midterm elections on May 12, 2025. While many hail the arrest as a victory for accountability, critics caution that the politicized context could undermine trust in international justice across Southeast Asia, where suspicions of foreign interference remain strong.
The case underscores how domestic political rivalries can influence international legal actions, potentially discouraging Southeast Asian countries from engaging with the ICC due to fears of external interference and political misuse. Duterte’s arrest carries symbolic weight for the embattled court, as it shows the institution can continue its work and fulfill its mandate despite facing significant pressure from multiple fronts, says The Guardian correspondent Harry Davies.
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan has issued high-profile arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, and the Taliban’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, but none of them have been apprehended so far. It is said that the pressure is mounting for Khan to produce results, and the Duterte case might offer a breakthrough.
Still, for people like Emily Soriano — whose teenage son was killed during the drug war — Duterte’s arrest clearly offers long-awaited hope justice. Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, looks at Duterte’s arrest and transfer to The Hague as a long-overdue victory against impunity that could bring victims and their families a step closer to justice. The event “sends a message to human rights abusers everywhere that one day they could be held to account,” she said.
Photo: Emmalyn Liwag Kotte