Duterte Detained by The Hague in First Case Against Asian Leader

TaiwanPlus News

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has arrived at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he faces charges of murder as crimes against humanity linked to his brutal anti-drug campaign. This marks the first case by the ICC against an Asian former head of state.

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00:00Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrives at the International Criminal Court

00:09at The Hague, greeted by a crowd of supporters.

00:15After being arrested and extradited from the Philippines, the former leader seemed to stand

00:19by his war on drugs that has brought him before the court.

00:36The court says the international arrest warrant for Duterte has now been carried out.

00:41Prosecutors say Duterte oversaw death squads during his time as mayor of Davao City, and

00:59later as president during his anti-drug campaign from 2016 to 2022.

01:26Supporters of Duterte have criticized his arrest, saying the court lacks jurisdiction.

01:30The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019.

01:34Many also worry about the living conditions for the 79-year-old while in custody.

01:42But The Hague's detention center is better equipped than most prisons.

01:46Detainees have access to exercise facilities, computers, can cook their own food, and take

01:52yoga and pottery classes.

01:57Time is also a factor.

01:59Previous ICC trials have taken 6 to 10 years from arrest to verdict, meaning that Duterte

02:05could be nearly 90 years old by the time his trial is over.

02:09But families of those killed in Duterte's drug war say it's more than he deserves.

02:28With a pre-trial process still ahead, Duterte's trial likely won't start this year.

02:33But whether he's convicted or acquitted, the ICC's first case against an Asian leader could

02:39have far-reaching impact.

02:41Patrick Chun and Chris Gorin for Taiwan Plus.

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