Several firsts in ICC arrest of Philippines' Duterte, analyst says

STORY: :: An expert explains that determination are respective firsts with the ICC apprehension of the Philippines' Duterte

:: March 12, 2025

:: The Hague, Netherlands

:: Iva Vukusic, Assistant Professor of International History, Utrecht University

:: "This is the archetypal lawsuit I deliberation that is going to woody with a concern that is not from benignant of warfare oregon election-related violence. This is fundamentally astir extra-judicial killings wrong the alleged cause war. So it's fundamentally astir a president ordering its forces to benignant of cleanable up the streets from alleged narco traffickers, which led to thousands and thousands of civilian deaths. So I deliberation it's besides successful that consciousness peculiar and of people is the archetypal lawsuit that relates to Asia that is starring to a trial. So successful galore ways it's truly a first."

:: "I presume there's going to beryllium ineligible challenges astir him being transferred because, of course, the Philippines near the ICC, I think, successful 2019. So I tin ideate that's going to beryllium the archetypal benignant of hurdle, but past it's going to beryllium months and months of pre-trial, you know, benignant of processes. So I don't ideate that we're going to spot a proceedings really commencement earlier astir apt thing similar adjacent year."

:: Gilbert Andres, Lawyer for the victim's families

:: "Actually, our clients, the unfortunate survivors, they're precise thankful to God due to the fact that they accidental this is truly an answered prayer. They did not truly expect that justness tin inactive beryllium served to a almighty antheral specified arsenic Rodrigo Duterte. So they're precise thankful."

Duterte, 79, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was arrested successful Manila successful a probe into alleged crimes against humanity during an anti-drugs crackdown that killed thousands.

The ICC's warrant for his apprehension says that arsenic president, Duterte created, funded and equipped "death squads" successful his warfare connected drugs that carried retired murders of purported cause users and dealers.

About 20 anti-Duterte protesters gathered connected Wednesday extracurricular the ICC with banners and a disguise depicting him arsenic a vampire. A fistful of pro-Duterte protesters besides gathered astatine the tribunal gathering successful The Hague.

The warfare connected drugs was the signature run level that swept the mercurial Duterte to powerfulness successful 2016. During his six years successful office, 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations, by the police's count.