Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was detained by police upon his return to Manila International Airport from abroad on March 11, according to local media.
This follows confirmation from the office of the Philippine president that the Manila bureau of Interpol has received an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Duterte.
The Philippines officially withdrew from the ICC in 2019. Recently, Interpol issued a red notice for Duterte, prompting heightened alert among police and other departments in the country. The Philippine government has deployed at least 7,000 police officers to conduct arrest operations.
Duterte is being investigated by the ICC for alleged "crimes against humanity" related to his administration's controversial crackdown against illegal drugs. According to Philippine police, over 6,000 drug suspects have been killed, while NGOs claim the actual death toll is double that figure.
In related news, it was reported that Duterte recently visited Hong Kong and delivered a public speech, during which he stated he was prepared for the possibility of arrest and denied the allegations made by the ICC.
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