Manila (AFP) – Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested Tuesday in Manila by police acting on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant tied to his deadly war on drugs.
The 79-year-old faces a charge of “the crime against humanity of murder”, according to the ICC, for a crackdown that rights groups estimate killed tens of thousands of mostly poor men, often without proof they were linked to drugs.
“Early in the morning, Interpol Manila received the official copy of the warrant of the arrest from the ICC,” the presidential palace said in a statement.
“As of now, he is under the custody of authorities.”
The statement added that “the former president and his group are in good health and are being checked by government doctors”.
Duterte’s former chief legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, called the arrest “unlawful”.
“The (Philippine National Police) didn’t allow one of his lawyers to meet him at the airport and to question the legal basis for PRRD’s arrest,” he said, adding a hard copy of the ICC warrant had not been provided.
But a group that worked to support mothers of those killed in Duterte’s drugs crackdown called the arrest a “very welcome development”.
“The mothers whose husbands and children were killed because of the drug war are very happy because they have been waiting for this for a very long time,” Rubilyn Litao, coordinator for Rise Up for Life and for Rights, told AFP.
Human Rights Watch, meanwhile, called on the government of President Ferdinand Marcos to “swiftly surrender (Duterte) to the ICC”, saying the arrest was a “critical step for accountability in the Philippines”.
Kind of weird to oppose the many victims a taste of justice just because it takes place in South America and it happened 20 years ago. That’s still reasonably within people’s lifetimes and it does bring people closure in ways you can’t imagine. I don’t understand how that’s posturing. Also, of course they’re going after him when he’s vulnerable. Do you really want the Interpol to march down to dictators’ doors at the peak of their power? How would they do it? Although they do issue arrest warrants during their reign in case they carelessly waltz into the wrong territory.
The taste of justice is bitter and dusty, old and decayed. Those that want it should have it, but it tastes better when it’s fresh.
Well, we do posthumous exonerations and such. People need closure regardless. I’m still wondering at what point does the Interpol intervenes and how.
I’d say the Interpol is a diverse organization adapting to the needs of the countries that comprise it. Likely they’re more fluid in their interventions, depending on diplomatic relations and backdoor maneuvering. What they need to do and what they’re allowed to do often doesn’t match.
Hmm, I was imagining something more actionable and tangible than “be more fluid”.
I feel like this is possibly part of the reason why it’s only happening now.
I’d say the same. And i know they’re not at fault, I’m just venting. Everyone does what they can, as little as that may seem at times.