Manila, March 12 || Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte is being taken to face the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague, Netherlands, on charges of crimes against humanity, local media reported on Wednesday.
He was arrested under a warrant issued on orders of the ICC at Manila airport on Tuesday morning upon his arrival from Hong Kong. He is facing charges before the ICC for his role in alleged extrajudicial killings committed during his administration's war on drugs.
Human rights groups estimate that more than 30,000 people were killed during the drug war, many of them were accused without evidence and executed without trial.
Philippines Senate President Francis Escudero on Wednesday commended law enforcement, legal representatives, and supporters for the orderly and incident-free serving of the arrest warrant from ICC against former President Duterte.
In a statement, Escudero highlighted the country's commitment to international agreements, calling the warrant's execution a testament to the "maturity, civility, calm, and professionalism" displayed by all parties involved, according to the state-run Philippine News Agency.
"As this legal process unfolds, we expect the ICC to respect the rights of former President Duterte and to ensure that he is afforded due process in accordance with the Rule of Law," he said.
Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday stated that the Philippine government followed all the legal procedures in the arrest of Duterte.