The Philippine Presidential Communications Office (PCO) issued a statement on Tuesday, confirming that former President Rodrigo Duterte was detained by police upon his return to Manila, capital of the Philippines, from abroad.
According to the statement, Duterte's flight arrived in Manila around 9:20 a.m. local time, where authorities presented him with an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Why was he detained?
Duterte "is currently in the custody of the authorities," the PCO said on Tuesday.
During his time as mayor of Davao City and as president of the Philippines, Duterte had carried out a "war on drugs," which garnered wide attention both domestically and internationally.
In February 2018, the ICC notified the Philippine government that it would open a preliminary investigation into whether Duterte's anti-drug operations violated human rights. In September 2021, the ICC officially commenced its investigation.
The official copy of the ICC's warrant of arrest, received by Interpol in Manila on Tuesday, stated that the purpose of the move was to "ensure his appearance before the court."