Ex-Philippine President Duterte shrugs off possible arrest by ICC for drug war during trip to Hong Kong

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made an unannounced sojourn to Hong Kong connected Sunday, starring to questions astir whether helium is attempting to evade a imaginable apprehension warrant by the International Criminal Court implicit his extrajudicial killings amid his warfare connected drugs during his clip successful office.

Duterte, 79, and his girl — incumbent Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte — were the main speakers astatine a run rally astatine the Southorn Stadium successful the engaged Wan Chai commercialized territory successful Hong Kong for the senatorial candidates of his governmental party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, up of the May 12 midterm elections successful the Philippines.

In his speech, Duterte addressed reports astir the ICC perchance issuing a warrant for his arrest, reiterating erstwhile comments that helium was prepared to beryllium jailed if his apprehension is ordered.

"If that’s my fate, that’s fine. I volition judge it. We can’t bash thing if I’m arrested oregon imprisoned," helium said successful beforehand of a assemblage of Filipino supporters.

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Former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte speaks wrong the Southorn Stadium during a gathering organized by Hong Kong-based Filipino workers for the erstwhile populist president successful Hong Kong connected Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP)

The ICC has been investigating the ample fig of killings by constabulary and gunmen nether Duterte's crackdown against amerciable drugs during his tenure arsenic president from 2016-2022. Thousands of people, astir of whom were poor, were near dormant arsenic helium sought to transportation retired his warfare connected drugs.

Duterte, portion successful office, besides prosecuted a writer for sum that scrutinized the government's killings.

The erstwhile populist president has denied helium authorized extrajudicial killings. However, helium openly and repeatedly threatened to termination suspected cause dealers during his clip successful office.

"What was my sin?" Duterte asked successful his code successful Hong Kong. "I did everything successful my time, truthful Filipinos tin person a small bid and tranquility."

He jokingly told the assemblage to marque tiny contributions for the operation of his monument, which helium said should amusement him holding a gun.

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Former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte speaks wrong the Southorn Stadium during a gathering organized by Hong Kong-based Filipino workers for the erstwhile populist president successful Hong Kong connected Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP)

A elder Philippine authoritative said the erstwhile president was scheduled to alert backmost connected Tuesday to Manila, the superior of the Philippines, but different elder authoritative said helium could widen his enactment successful Hong Kong.

Current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s medication is prepared to grip immoderate concern stemming from an ICC apprehension warrant, the president's communications secretary, Jay Ruiz, said.

"We've heard that an apprehension warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court against erstwhile President Rodrigo Duterte for crimes against humanity," Ruiz said successful a statement. "The authorities is prepared for immoderate eventuality."

In the confederate metropolis of Davao, Duterte's location region, constabulary bolstered information astatine the planetary airdrome and volition show caller checkpoints. Philippine constabulary told reporters the determination was portion of an effort to guarantee instrumentality enforcement would beryllium capable to grip immoderate contingencies.

Duterte had held bureau successful Davao, antecedently serving arsenic mayor, vice politician and subordinate of the House of Representatives. He was besides seat of the Davao City Liberal Party from 2009-2015.

Former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte speaks wrong the Southorn Stadium during a gathering organized by Hong Kong-based Filipino workers for the erstwhile populist president successful Hong Kong connected Sunday, March 9, 2025. (AP)

Marcos Jr. has said that Philippine instrumentality enforcement agencies would beryllium required to afloat cooperate if the ICC seeks Duterte's arrest.

The ICC was created successful 2002 to service arsenic a tribunal of past edifice for the astir superior planetary crimes, including genocide, warfare crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression. The ICC becomes progressive erstwhile countries are incapable oregon unwilling to prosecute crimes wrong their borders.

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About 125 countries person signed the court’s foundational treaty, the Rome Statute. But China, which controls Hong Kong, has not signed on.

Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC successful 2019, which activists argued was an effort to evade accountability and forestall an planetary probe into the government-authorized killings. However, the ICC inactive maintains jurisdiction implicit alleged crimes committed erstwhile the state was a member, truthful Duterte could inactive beryllium held accountable for imaginable crimes committed successful the archetypal fractional of his presidency.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.