On March 11, 2025, former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila, pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The warrant was in connection with “crimes against humanity of murder” charges related to his controversial campaign against illegal drugs during his term.
According to reports, Duterte arrived in Manila from Hong Kong aboard Cathay Pacific flight CX 907 at around 9:20 a.m. Upon his arrival, he was immediately met by officers from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and representatives of INTERPOL Manila, who executed an arrest warrant from the ICC. He was also examined by government doctors to ensure his health.
Prior to the arrest, in November 2024, it was reported that the Department of Justice (DOJ) was conducting an investigation into alleged extrajudicial killings that occurred under Duterte’s administration. The investigation is aimed at determining possible violations of International Humanitarian Law and other laws related to the anti-drug campaign.
Meanwhile, former Presidential Spokesperson Atty. Harry Roque declared that Duterte’s arrest was “unconstitutional.” According to Roque, the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC, so the court has no jurisdiction in the country. He added that judicial power is stated in the Constitution to be in the Supreme Court and other lower courts established by law
Currently, former President Duterte is in the custody of the authorities while awaiting further steps regarding the cases filed against him.
Protests against Rodrigo Duterte
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The protests against Rodrigo Duterte, the 16th President of the Philippines, began on November 18, 2016 following the burial of the late president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos, whom Duterte supported. The series of protests, mostly simple and peaceful, were often carried out by left-wing groups and other opponents primarily due to the ongoing war on drugs, the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, and labor issues such as contractual terms applied by companies and inflation due to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act. More pressing causes include the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and to disasters such as typhoons, the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, and the closure of ABS-CBN.
Since taking office, Duterte has waged a war on illegal drugs in the country, vowing to kill thousands of people involved in the drug trade. The campaign has drawn condemnation and concern from local politicians, international human rights groups, and news organizations for human rights violations and the high number of killings amid the drug campaign. During the campaign, authorities have primarily targeted drug users from poor communities but have failed to capture high-profile drug lords. Despite the campaign deaths, Duterte’s popularity in opinion polls remains high.
The most high-profile case of youth casualties during the campaign was the killing of 17-year-old student Kian Loyd delos Santos, from Caloocan, on August 16, 2017, at the hands of police. The incident caused controversy among local politicians and militant groups, and sparked widespread protests in the country. A few days later, two other young men, Carl Angelo Arnaiz and Reynaldo de Guzman, were killed. Arnaiz, a 19-year-old, last seen in Kainta, Rizal, was also tortured and shot dead on August 17 by police after robbing a taxi in Caloocan. His 14-year-old friend, Reynaldo “Kulot” de Guzman, was stabbed to death thirty times and thrown into a creek in Gapan, Nueva Ecija. Along with the death of Kian delos Santos, the deaths of the two teenagers also drew public outrage and condemnation.
A coalition called “Manlaban sa EJK” (Lawyer Against Extra Judicial Killings) was formed by a group of lawyers, teachers, and law students in November 2017.
Apart from the war on drugs and reported extrajudicial killings, there have been enforced disappearances under the Duterte administration with only six recorded missing as of November 2018. Their relatives – most of whom are still mourning the deaths from the Arroyo administration (notably the case of Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño in 2006) – remember this every All Saints’ Day. According to the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), there have been 1,993 cases of enforced disappearances since the Marcos regime.
