Welp, looks like former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s luck finally ran out — and in the most dramatic way possible. After stepping off a plane from Hong Kong, Duterte was promptly greeted at Manila’s airport — not by fans, but by police acting on an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant. The charge? Oh, just some minor accusations of crimes against humanity related to his brutal war on drugs.
Cue the chaos — Duterte’s lawyers and aides were reportedly losing their minds at the airport, screaming about constitutional rights and fairness. But the ICC wasn’t having any of it — they’ve been after him since 2011, and now they finally have him.
The arrest comes after years of Duterte brushing off accusations and even pulling the Philippines out of the ICC in 2019 (big brain move — clearly didn’t work). Despite no longer being president, the ICC noted that Duterte still holds “considerable power” — which makes sense, considering his former crackdowns left a trail of devastation.
Naturally, victims’ families were emotional. Randy delos Santos, whose nephew was killed by police in 2017, said this was the “big day for justice” they’ve been waiting for. And now that Duterte’s finally facing consequences, people are wondering if other officials involved in the killings will be next.
As for Duterte? No one knows when he’ll be flown to The Hague — but it’s safe to say this isn’t how he envisioned his retirement.