Duterte arrest 'means a lot' to drug war victims: ICC prosecutor

The arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte is an important moment for alleged victims of his "war on drugs," International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said on Wednesday, March 12.

The fact the ICC arrest warrant has been carried out "is important to victims. It means a lot, I think, to victims," said Khan in a statement.

"Many say that international law is not as strong as we want, and I agree with that. But as I also repeatedly emphasise, international law is not as weak as some may think," added Khan.

"When we come together... the rule of law can prevail," said the prosecutor.

Duterte was arrested on Tuesday, March 11 and was brought to the Villamor Air Base upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Hong Kong.

His arrest had been years in the making, beginning in October 2016 when then-ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said they were watching the Philippines closely as killings under the Duterte administration were on the rise just four months since he assumed office. 

As stated in the warrant obtained by The Philippine STAR, Duterte was arrested for murder, torture, and rape—which are part of the 15 forms of crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute—in connection with his administration's bloody war on drugs called Oplan Tokhang that saw the execution of thousands of suspected drug peddlers, users, and small-time criminals.

ICC spokesman Fadi El Abdallah confirmed that Duterte arrived in the Netherlands at 11:54 p.m. (Philippine time) of Wednesday, March 12 to face the charges against him. He is now in ICC custody. (AFP)