Philippines sends Rodrigo Duterte to International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has finally had one of its warrants acted upon.  

Former president Rodrigo Duterte was recently flown from the Philippines due to an arrest warrant issued by the ICC for crimes against humanity.  

According to the warrant, the crimes were committed during Duterte’s drug war.  

Lock Him Up 

Duterte is headed to The Hague in the Netherlands to face the charges against him.  

His attorney, Martin Delgra, confirmed that the former president was taken into custody and flown to the Hague this week.  

The warrant was served when Duterte returned home on Tuesday from Hong Kong.  

Duterte was checked by local doctors, who assured authorities that he was in “good health” and could make the trip.  

There is now a video floating around with Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Major General Nicolas Torre III explaining the warrant to the former president’s attorney, telling them, “We can do this the hard way, we can do this the easy way. 

“The easy way, Sir, is for you to choose three people to accompany [Duterte] to the plane. May pass diyan (There’s a pass there) and they will go into the plane.” 

The charges against Deterte stem from a very bloody war on drugs he carried out as president that reportedly left more than 6,200 people dead, at least.  

There are reports that for the duration of his term, there were an estimated 30,000 people killed during this war on drugs.  

This investigation has been underway for nearly a decade, which is just absurd when you consider the massacres that were taking place and how early this was brought to the attention of the ICC.  

Deterte has never feared prosecution in his quest to rid his country from drugs, having once stated, “If I do not interdict now at kung matakot lang akong mag-demanda ‘yang ICC na ‘yan, putangina na ‘yan. (If I do not interdict now and I fear a suit from the ICC, that son of a bitch.) Well, I will rot in jail. And so? That is my contribution to you to protect your sons and daughters.” 

Little did he know his prediction about rotting in jail was likely to come true.   

I am just curious to see how all this plays out during his trial, especially when you consider he is likely to argue that every person dead was embedded in the drug trade, therefore, their deaths were justified.  

It will be a very interesting case to see play out.