13-3-2025 (MANILA) Rodrigo Duterte, the controversial former leader of the Philippines, has arrived in the Netherlands to face proceedings at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The unprecedented journey, which concluded at Rotterdam just before midnight Manila time, marked a significant milestone in international criminal justice.
The former president’s flight aboard a Gulfstream 6550 aircraft, bearing registration RPC2519, garnered extraordinary public interest, becoming the globe’s most-monitored flight. More than 30,000 observers tracked its progress via flightradar24, following its path from Villamor Air Base through a refuelling stop in Dubai before its final descent into the Netherlands.
The gravity of the accusations facing Duterte stems from his tenure both as the nation’s president and as a city mayor. The ICC’s indictment presents serious allegations regarding his role in widespread extrajudicial killings, with prosecutors characterising him as an “indirect co-perpetrator” in crimes against humanity. The charges encompass both his national anti-narcotics campaign, which allegedly resulted in 27,000 deaths, and earlier activities linked to the notorious Davao Death Squad.
ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah’s verification of Duterte’s arrival underscores the gravity of this watershed moment in international justice. The former leader now stands accused of orchestrating and facilitating systematic extrajudicial killings, both during his presidency and his earlier tenure as a city official, marking an unprecedented case in Southeast Asian political history.
