Arrested Philippine ex-President Duterte to face legacy of thousands killed in drug crackdown– abcnews.go.com
Source Link
Excerpt:
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, who left a savage legacy over his deadly anti-drugs crackdown, was arrested on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity for the thousands killed in a war he waged against drugs in a political career spanning decades. His detention capped an international investigation into killings, which unfolded for more than a dozen years..
Duterte again came under the spotlight during a weekend trip to Hong Kong when the trip sparked speculation that he may have gone into exile while on a trip to Hong Kong to evade a looming international arrest warrant. He had appeared as the main speaker on Sunday at a gathering of thousands of cheering and flag-waving Filipino expatriates, who jammed Southorn Stadium in downtown Wan Chai district.
Now 79 and in poor health, Duterte campaigned for his political party’s senatorial candidates ahead of the May 12 mid-term elections in the Philippines. He said he was aware the International Criminal Court had issued a warrant for his arrest over his campaign against illegal drugs that left thousands of suspects dead.
He again tried to justify the brutal crackdown and the crowd cheered him on. Police arrested him as he got off the plane at Manilla International Airport based on an ICC warrant.
Here’s more about Duterte, his ICC case and what lies ahead for one of Asia’s most unorthodox leaders in his time:
Duterte, a former prosecutor, congressman and longtime mayor of the southern Philippine city of Davao, built a political name with his expletive-laced outbursts against the elites, the dominant Roman Catholic church and the West. He was also seen as pro-poor and a populist, but he is perhaps best remembered for his brutal approach to criminality, particularly illegal drugs.
