ICC Document Reveals Philippine Govt Was Aware of Duterte's Arrest Plan

March 17, 2025 | 05:44 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - ICC documents reveal that the Philippine government already knew about the plan to arrest former President Rodrigo Duterte on charges of crimes against humanity, despite previously denying it publicly, as reported by The Manila Times on Monday, March 17, 2025, as cited by Antara.

Duterte was arrested and taken to The Hague, Netherlands, last week to face trial at the ICC. This relates to allegations of crimes against humanity in the drug war he initiated during his presidency from 2016 to 2022.

Several Philippine government officials had previously denied having information about the arrest warrant.

However, ICC documents indicate that the government not just informed about the request for arrest but also expressed willingness to comply with it, according to The Manila Times.

Official communications also ensured that Philippine authorities were consulted before requesting to arrest.

The request for Duterte's arrest dissemination (diffusion) from the ICC was sent to the Philippine government before any official announcement to the public.

The ICC document states that the request was made after prior consultation with the Philippine government, which has agreed to comply with the arrest request.

Unlike the Red Notice, which requires formal review by the Interpol General Secretariat, a diffusion is directly sent to member countries through Interpol communication channels without initial verification processes.

Legal experts and human rights activists criticized the government's contradictory statements. They believe that such misleading denials further damage the credibility of the Philippines in the ICC investigation and raise doubts about its commitment to international law.

In related developments, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on Sunday that it would assist Interpol in enforcing the arrest warrant against other defendants involved in this case.

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