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March 13, 2025 | 04:26 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte acknowledged full responsibility for the war on drugs carried out during his administration. His statement was shared in a video message on Facebook as he prepared to stand trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"Whatever happened in the past, I will be the front of our law enforcement and the military. I said this already, that I will protect you, and I will be responsible for everything," Duterte said.
His remarks were his first since being put on a plane to The Hague Duterte said, as quoted by Reuters.
Duterte was detained by the ICC on Wednesday after being arrested in Manila, the Philippines, on charges of murder related to the war on drugs during his presidency. Thousands of drug dealers and users were killed in the war on drugs.
The video, which has been viewed 10 million times, only shows Duterte speaking while wearing a plain white shirt. The video appears to have been recorded inside an aircraft, with a faint hum of the engine heard in the background.
In a statement, the ICC explained that Duterte was "surrendered to the custody of the International Criminal Court. He was arrested by the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines...for charges of murder as a crime against humanity".
He will appear before an ICC judge in The Hague in the coming days for an initial hearing. He has been moved to a detention facility on the Dutch coast.
"This will be a long legal proceeding, but I say to you, I will continue to serve my country. And so be it, if that is my destiny," Duterte said.
The 79-year-old former leader of the Philippines also reassured his supporters that he is fine. "I'm fine, don't worry," he said in a video clip lasting over two minutes.
Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, will face charges of crimes against humanity. He oversaw a hit squad in his tough approach to drugs. He could become the first former head of state in Asia to be tried at the ICC.
The ICC arrest warrant stated that as president, Duterte created, funded, and armed a hit squad that shot drug users and dealers. During his six-year term in office, 6,200 suspects were killed in anti-drug operations, according to police figures.
Duterte's daughter, Sara Duterte, the vice president of the Philippines, arrived in The Hague on Wednesday night, her office said.
Lawyers and academics described the arrest and transfer as a significant moment for the ICC, which operates without its own police force and has faced U.S. sanctions.
A State Department spokesperson stated that the United States is aware of Duterte’s arrest by Philippine authorities.
Editor's Choice: What Happens Next to Ex-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte?
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