United News of Bangladesh

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte refused to be fingerprinted and threatened legal action against a police general during a chaotic arrest, according to Philippine authorities. Police Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre revealed details of the tense 12-hour standoff that took place on Tuesday at a Philippine air base. Despite resistance from Duterte, his family, lawyers, and friends, police eventually succeeded in placing the 79-year-old former leader onto a government-chartered jet bound for The Hague, Netherlands. There, the International Criminal Court (ICC) detained him on charges of crimes against humanity. Former Philippine president Duterte arrested on ICC warrant for killings Once a feared figure for his harsh anti-crime policies and controversial remarks—such as calling Pope Francis a “son of a bitch” and telling former U.S. President Barack Obama to “go to hell”—Duterte’s dramatic downfall has been hailed by human rights advocates as a major victory against state impunity. Duterte was apprehended upon arrival at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, accompanied by his common-law wife, daughter, and friends returning from Hong Kong. He was then taken under heavy police escort to the presidential lounge at Villamor Air Base for booking, which included fingerprinting before his transfer to the Netherlands. However, Duterte and his entourage resisted, preventing his immediate transport to a Gulfstream G550 executive jet, Torre said. The standoff lasted about 12 hours and was highly tense. According to Torre, one of his officers sustained a head injury after being struck with a cellphone by Duterte’s common-law wife, while Duterte’s daughter hurled expletives at him. Despite the hostility, Torre maintained his composure. The former president, a former prosecutor and congressman, refused to comply with the police booking process. “We wanted to have him fingerprinted, but he resisted,” Torre said. In a separate interview, he confirmed that he had arrested and handcuffed Duterte’s executive secretary for obstructing the transfer. A widely circulated video on social media captured Duterte surrounded by his family, lawyers, and friends, questioning Torre: “Are you going to bring me straight to the airplane?” Torre recalled Duterte defiantly stating, “You have to kill me to bring me to The Hague.” Torre responded, “That’s not our intention, sir,” as officers removed individuals blocking Duterte’s path. Duterte’s legal team has challenged the arrest, arguing that Philippine authorities failed to present an official copy of the ICC warrant and violated his constitutional rights. His lawyers and supporters also criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s government for allowing the ICC to take custody of Duterte, despite the Philippines having withdrawn from the court. Vice President Sara Duterte, the former president’s daughter, condemned the move, calling it a “blatant affront” to national sovereignty and an insult to Filipinos. “This is not justice—this is oppression and persecution,” she said. President Marcos, who has since had a political rift with the vice president following their short-lived alliance in the 2022 elections, appeared on national television at midnight, refuting her accusations. Days before his arrest, Duterte spoke to supporters in Hong Kong, acknowledging the ICC warrant and expressing his willingness to face imprisonment. “If this is my fate in life, it’s OK, I’ll accept it. I can’t do anything if I get arrested and jailed,” he said, peppering his remarks with expletives. Impeachment complaint filed against Philippine VP Duterte for threatening President Marcos Duterte’s political career was built on his ruthless stance against crime, particularly his bloody war on drugs, which resulted in thousands of deaths. Throughout his presidency, he remained unapologetic, even lashing out at world leaders who criticized his policies. He infamously told Obama to “go to hell” after being condemned for his violent anti-drug campaign. In 2015, he shocked the Catholic Church when he cursed Pope Francis while venting frustration over a traffic jam during the pontiff’s visit to Manila. “I wanted to call. ‘Pope, you son of a bitch, go home. Don’t visit here anymore,’” he told a cheering crowd. Following widespread outrage from Filipino bishops, he later issued an apology.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was taken into custody at Manila's international airport on Tuesday following an arrest order from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over a crime against humanity case filed against him, according to the Philippine government. Duterte was apprehended upon arrival from Hong Kong, with police enforcing the ICC’s arrest warrant in connection to the large-scale killings that took place under his violent anti-drug campaign, President Ferdinand Marcos' office stated. Philippine VP prepares for impeachment, avoids commenting on resignation “Upon his arrival, the prosecutor general presented the ICC notification of an arrest warrant to the former president for crimes against humanity,” the government said. “He is now in the custody of authorities.” The unexpected arrest led to a commotion at the airport, where Duterte’s lawyers and aides vocally protested, claiming they, along with a doctor and legal representatives, were denied access to him after he was detained. “This is a violation of his constitutional rights,” said Sen. Bong Go, a close ally of Duterte. Duterte’s arrest and subsequent downfall left families of those killed in his anti-drug campaign in shock, with many breaking down in tears. “This is a long-awaited victory for justice,” said Randy delos Santos, the uncle of a teenager who was fatally shot by police in a 2017 anti-drug operation in Metro Manila. “Now we feel that justice is moving forward. We hope that senior police officials and the hundreds of officers involved in these unlawful killings will also be held accountable and punished,” he added. Three officers responsible for the killing of his nephew, Kian delos Santos, were convicted in 2018 for the high-profile murder, which led Duterte to temporarily halt his brutal anti-drug campaign at the time. This conviction was among only a few against law enforcers linked to the campaign, reinforcing victims’ families' concerns that justice within the country remained elusive, prompting them to seek the ICC’s intervention. It was unclear where Duterte was taken after his arrest, but the government confirmed that the 79-year-old former president was in good health. The ICC’s investigation into Duterte’s drug-related killings covers the period from November 1, 2011—when he was mayor of Davao City—until March 16, 2019. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute in 2019, a move that human rights advocates believe was aimed at evading accountability. Afghans arrive in the Philippines to complete visa processing for resettlement in US Duterte’s administration attempted to block the ICC probe in 2021, arguing that Philippine authorities were already investigating the same allegations, and therefore, the ICC—meant to be a last resort—had no jurisdiction. However, in 2023, ICC appeals judges ruled that the investigation could proceed, dismissing the Duterte administration’s objections. The Hague-based ICC intervenes when national authorities are either unwilling or unable to prosecute individuals for serious international crimes, such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in 2022 and has since had a contentious relationship with Duterte, has opted not to rejoin the ICC. However, his administration has stated that it would comply if the ICC requested international law enforcement to arrest Duterte through a Red Notice, a global alert for locating and detaining a suspect temporarily.

Manila, Oct 22 (AP/UNB) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is cutting short his trip to Japan due to "unbearable pain" in his spinal column caused by his fall during a motorcycle ride last week, his spokesman said Tuesday.