Philippine ex-President Duterte to face murder charges at ICC for drug war killings
Summary
- Duterte arrested in Manila amid ICC probe into anti-drugs crackdown
- Plane delayed in Dubai, Duterte received medical attention during layover
- Duterte could be first Asian ex-head of state tried at ICC
ROTTERDAM, March 12 (Reuters) - A plane taking former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court over murder charges was headed for Rotterdam on Wednesday in a move hailed by families of victims of his "war on drugs" as giving them hope for justice.
Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, was arrested early on Tuesday in Manila, marking the biggest step yet in the ICC's probe into alleged crimes against humanity during an anti-drugs crackdown that killed thousands and drew condemnation around the world.
Duterte, 79, could become the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the ICC in The Hague.
The plane had originally been set to land in the Netherlands around 0600 GMT, but tracking service Flightradar 24 showed it should now arrive just after 1600 GMT after a long layover in Dubai during which he received medical checks.
The ICC's warrant for his arrest says that as president, Duterte created, funded and armed death squads that carried out murders of purported drug users and dealers.
In coming days, he will be brought before a judge and the allegations will be read out in court. Prosecutors accuse him of crimes against humanity for systematic attacks that led to dozens of murders.
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THE HAGUE, March 12 (Reuters) - Philippine ex-President Duterte, who faces murder charges at the International Criminal Court over his war on drugs, will be taken to a coastal detention unit near The Hague where several infamous war crimes suspects were held.
The Scheveningen prison facility, built in 1882, is where some former leaders prosecuted by international courts or U.N. tribunals spent years during legal proceedings.
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Upon arrival Duterte would generally receive a medical examination and then be taken to a private cell with a sink, toilet, bed, desk and bookshelves.
Duterte will join Kosovo's former president Hashim Thaçi, who is awaiting his war crimes trial, and convicted Bosnian Serb war criminal Ratko Mladic, who was found guilty of genocide in Bosnia. Other inmates include militia leaders from Sudan, Mali and the Central African Republic.
COOKING, YOGA AND CRAFTS
Because it's technically a detention unit and not a prison, detainees have access to more facilities than they would after a possible conviction. Among privileges are conjugal visits, an outdoor exercise space, unmonitored communications with legal team and visits by a minister or spiritual advisor.
During trials in the aftermath of the bloody Balkan wars of the 1990s, for which more than 160 suspects were prosecuted, inmates were known to hold sports matches. The detainees for the U.N. and Kosovo tribunals are in separate wings but share some facilities with the ICC detainees.
Inside there are basic medical facilities and an onsite nurse, but defence lawyers for some suspects have raised concerns that it is difficult to get care after hours.
Suspects have access to a gym, a library and a kitchen where they can prepare their own meals, as a dislike for Dutch cuisine is shared by most detainees, lawyers said.
Inmates can also take yoga and music classes, some get materials for crafts and painting and have access to a computer for legal research. They can receive treatment under the Dutch medical system and have the right to a second opinion by a doctor of their choosing.
INITIAL APPEARANCE
The ICC's warrant for Duterte says that as president he created, funded and armed "death squads" as part of the war on drugs. Prosecutors have accused him of crimes against humanity and pre-trial judges say there are reasonable grounds to prosecute Duterte based on the evidence before them.
In coming days, Duterte will be brought before a judge for an initial appearance, during which the allegations will be detailed in court. Represented by a court-appointed defence council or a lawyer of his picking, he will not be asked to enter a plea.
Among the most well-known former defendants are the late Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, who died in 2006 during his genocide trial, and former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo, who was acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for post-election violence in 2010. Liberia's Charles Taylor is serving a 50-year sentence in Britain after being convicted by a special tribunal.
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