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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The former president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested upon his arrival at Manila airport from Hong Kong on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, as reported by Reuters. His arrest was carried out at the request of the International Criminal Court (ICC) through the international police force.
Duterte will face charges of "crimes against humanity" for actions taken during his presidency. Following his arrival, the Attorney General issued an ICC arrest warrant for the former president, as stated by the government.
Who is Rodrigo Duterte?
Rodrigo Duterte was born on March 28, 1945, in Maasin, Southern Leyte, to Vicente Duterte, who was governor of Davao in the late 1950s, and Soledad Roa, a teacher and community leader, as reported by The Inquirer.
A law graduate from San Beda College, Duterte passed the bar exam in 1973. He also earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the Lyceum of the Philippines University in 1968. Duterte worked as a special counsel to Davao and as an assistant city prosecutor in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Duterte has three children with his former wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman: Sara, Paolo, and Sebastian. Duterte and Zimmerman's 25-year marriage ended in 1998. Duterte also has another daughter, Veronica, with Honeylet Avancea.
He was first elected mayor of Davao City in 1988 and served for over two decades. He was also a congressman for the first district of Davao City from 1998 to 2001 and served as vice mayor under his daughter, Sara, from 2010 to 2013.
Why Was He Called "The Punisher"?
Duterte served as mayor of Davao City for seven terms and 22 years, although not consecutively. He was in his seventh term when he was persuaded to run for president.
Although he was considered a potential presidential candidate since 2014, it took time for his supporters to convince him to be the candidate of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
When he announced his candidacy, Duterte was fourth in the polls. However, his appeal and unique humor quickly moved him to the top of the surveys a month before the election. He served as president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
Davao City became a more peaceful city under his leadership. However, Duterte, once called "The Punisher" by Time magazine, is known for his strict rule and unusual methods in fighting crime in Davao. He has been linked to the "Davao Death Squad," which is suspected of being involved in unsolved extrajudicial killings, including those of children and journalists.
What Was the "Death Squad"?
Last October, he told a Senate investigation that he had a "Death Squad" to kill criminals when he was mayor of the city in the southern Philippines, Al Jazeera reported.
Duterte admitted, using strong language, that during his presidency and time as mayor, he ordered the police to encourage crime suspects to resist arrest and "draw a weapon" so officers could justify killing them.
Duterte admitted, without giving details, that he had a death squad of seven "gangsters" besides the police to deal with criminals when he was mayor of Davao City before becoming president.
He said he would order a gangster to kill someone. "If you don't kill [that person], I will kill you now," he said, describing how his orders were carried out.
How Many Victims Were There?
According to the police, 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations that they claim were shootouts. However, activists say the actual death toll is much higher, with thousands of drug users in poor areas, many on an official "watch list," dying mysteriously.
Police deny involvement in the killings and reject claims from human rights groups of planned executions and cover-ups.
Duterte said he would not apologize for his actions. He believes that killing drug dealers reduces crime. He insists he did it for the country. "I hate drugs, don't get me wrong," he said.
Among those killed were over a dozen mayors and other local officials, as well as lawyers and judges. Some children who had no involvement in drugs were also killed. The government calls these deaths "collateral damage."
When Did the ICC Get Involved?
The killings became an ICC investigation for alleged "crimes against humanity" when the court began reviewing complaints in 2018.
The ICC arrest warrant is seen as a major victory for human rights activists and victims' families, despite the Philippines withdrawing from the Rome Statute.
Most of the cases investigated by the ICC happened between 2016 and 2019. The ICC's investigation into the anti-drug campaign angered Duterte, who was then president, leading him to withdraw the Philippines from the ICC.
The Rome Statute, which created the ICC to handle genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression, took effect in 2002. The Philippines initially joined in 2011.
Editor’s Choice: BREAKING NEWS: Rodrigo Duterte Arrested
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