Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he was taking full responsibility for his administration's 'war against drugs'. He said this in a video message posted on his Facebook account in preparation for the legal battle in the International Criminal Court (ICC). The news agency Reuters reports this information.
Duterte said, “In view of everything that has happened in the past, I will stand in front of our law enforcement agencies and army (slopes). As I said before, I will protect you and I will be responsible for everything. ' This is his first response after the ICC plane.
Earlier, Duterte was arrested on Tuesday in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. He was then taken into custody of the ICC on Wednesday. He is currently in a prisoner in the coastal area of the Netherlands. Thousands of suspected drug dealers and users were arrested in a murder case in a 'war against drug'.
The video has been viewed more than 10 million times till writing this report. At that time he was wearing a simple white shirt. The video was probably captured inside the aircraft, as the lightning of the aircraft engine was heard on the back.
Meanwhile, the ICC said in a statement, 'Rodrigo Dutart has been handed over to the International Criminal Court custody. The Philippine authorities have arrested him … accused of murder in the case of crimes against humanity. ' It also said that within a few days, he would be produced before the court for the preliminary hearing.
“This will be a long legal process,” he said in his video in Duterte. But I want to tell you, I will continue to serve my country. And if this is my destiny, so be it. I'm fine, don't worry. '
Duterte served as the President of the Philippines from 20 to 2022. The allegations against him were that he formed, funded and provided weapons while conducting his anti -narcotics operation. He is probably going to face the ICC trial as the first former president of any Asian country.
The ICC arrest warrant said that while the president, Duterte formed, funded and provided weapons, who killed suspect drug users and traders. According to the Philippine police, 5,220 suspects were killed in an anti -drug operation during the six -year rule.
Duterte's daughter and Vice President of the Philippines arrived at The Hage on Wednesday evening, his office said. Lawyers and researchers say it is an important moment for the ICC, because this court target US sanctions and they have no police force that they can arrest the accused themselves. A spokesman for the US State Department said the United States was aware of the arrest of Duterta by the Philippines authorities.
