Former President Rodrigo Duterte arrested on ICC warrant, transferred to The Hague

On March 11, 2025, former President Rodrigo R. Duterte was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport upon his arrival from Hong Kong, on the basis of a warrant of arrest issued by the International Criminal Court Pre-Trial Chamber. The Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police executed the arrest pursuant to the government's coordination with the ICC. The warrant alleged crimes against humanity in connection with killings during the anti-narcotics campaign that defined Duterte's presidency from 2016 to 2022, and during his prior tenure as mayor of Davao City. The ICC's investigation had been authorized in September 2021 and proceeded despite the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019, on the ground that the alleged conduct occurred while the country was still a state party. Duterte was transferred to The Hague within days of his arrest. Subsequent proceedings before the Pre-Trial Chamber addressed jurisdiction, admissibility, and his detention conditions. The arrest was the first time a former Asian head of state was placed in ICC custody.