Former president Rodrigo Duterte has seemingly accepted that facing a trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) will be his destiny.
“This will be a long, legal proceedings but I say to you, I will continue to serve my country and so be it kung ganon ang destiny ko (if that is my destiny),” he said in a video message posted on his Facebook page before his chartered plane landed in the Netherlands.
Duterte, who is now under the custody of the ICC to face trial for crimes against humanity of murder in relation to his bloody war on drugs campaign, assured his supporters that he is in good condition.
A plane believed to be carrying former president Rodrigo Duterte is parked next to a bus at Rotterdam The Hague Airport in the Netherlands on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Carlson)
“Okay ako (I’m okay), do not worry. I think this is something to do with the law and order noon,” Duterte said.
“At sinasabi ko naman sa mga pulis at military na magtrabaho kayo at ako ang managot, so ito na nga (And I told the police and the military to work and I will be accountable, so this is it),” he added.
The former chief executive’s chartered plane landed in Rotterdam, Netherlands at around 11:56 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12 (Manila time).
He left Manila at 11:03 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, after being arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 in the morning upon arrival from Hong Kong, where he attended a campaign sortie for his senatorial bets.
Without mentioning his so-called drug war campaign that killed thousands of mostly poor Filipinos, the former president said he would be at the “front” of law enforcers.
“For all of the whatever happened in the past, ako na 'yong nag-front sa ating law enforcement pati military (I will be at the front of our law enforcement and military),” he stated.
“Sinabi ko na (I said), I will protect you and I will, ako ang managot sa lahat (I will be accountable for all),” he added.
In his six years in office, Duterte repeatedly and publicly urged law enforcers to continue with the bloody drug war, assuring them that he would protect them from ang legal charges that might arise from their actions.
ICC custody
In a statement, the ICC confirmed that they have taken custody of Duterte.
“The ICC Registrar, Mr. Osvaldo Zavala Giler, thanked the authorities of the Philippines for their commitment to upholding international accountability mechanisms, and the authorities of the Host State, the Netherlands, for their cooperation and support,” the statement read.
The ICC said that the Office of the Prosecutor of the ICC applied for a warrant of arrest on Feb. 10 against the former president for the crimes against humanity of murder, torture and rape.
A warrant was issued after the Chamber “found reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Duterte is individually responsible as an indirect co-perpetrator for the crime against humanity of murder, allegedly committed in the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019.”
“The Chamber found that there was an attack directed against a civilian population pursuant to an organisational policy while Mr. Duterte was the head of the Davao Death Squad (DDS), and pursuant to a State policy while he was the President of the Philippines,” the statement added.
There are also “reasonable grounds to believe that he, jointly with and through other persons, agreed to kill individuals they identified as suspected criminals or persons having criminal propensities, including but not limited to drug offenders, initially in Davao and subsequently throughout the country.”
The ICC assured that a hearing will be scheduled soon, wherein Duterte’s identity will be confirmed and he will be informed of the crimes he allegedly committed and of his rights under the Rome Statute.