MANILA, Philippines – Former President Rodrigo Duterte is now in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and is now already in detention, the Embassy of the Philippines in The Hague confirmed.
The Embassy has extended assistance to Duterte, who arrived at the Rotterdam Airport on board a chartered flight RP-C5219 at 4:56 pm CET (11:56 pm, PH Time).
In a post on its Facebook page, the Embassy confirmed that the custody of the former Philippine president was officially turned over by the accompanying Philippine law enforcement authorities to officials of the Judicial Cooperation Unit of the Office of Registry of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Duterte’s nurse and aide, who travelled with him from Manila, were granted two-day visas, while Former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea was issued a 15-day visa as counsel to the former President, the Embassy mentioned in a statement.
“Upon the Embassy’s representation, the Netherlands’ Immigration Authorities granted those who escorted the former President, including the latter’s nurse and aide, two-day visas to enable them to rest and recover for their return flight,” the Embassy stated.
“Former Executive Secretary Medialdea was issued a 15-day visa as counsel of the former President and has been granted permission to visit the former President tomorrow, Thursday, at the ICC Detention Center in Scheveningen, The Hague,” the Embassy added.
In view of the winter season in Europe, the Embassy also prepared, procured and delivered winter clothing, change of clothes and care packages for the former President.
Appropriate winter clothing, change of clothes, and care packages were also turned over to the accompanying delegation and the plane’s crew members at the airport, according to the Philippine’s diplomatic post in The Hague.
Earlier, Embassy officials called the attention of the ICC officials and Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials on “the need to closely attend to and monitor the medical and physical conditions of the former President.”
Thereupon, on arrival, an ICC nurse, who is part of the reception party, conferred with the former President’s personal nurse on the medical condition and requirements, while the ICC nurse has relayed the information received to the ICC Medical Doctor for the conduct of medical check-up on the former President on arrival at the ICC Detention Center, the Embassy confirmed.
Upon arrangement by the Embassy, the ICC officials handed over to the former President the names and contact numbers of Embassy officials who can be reached by mobile phone for any consular assistance that he may need, the Embassy added.
Duterte won’t be brought to a Dutch local court – PH Ambassador to The Hague
Former President Duterte will not be brought to face a local Dutch court, Philippine Ambassador to the Hague Jose Eduardo Malaya III told media via text message.
According to Malaya, “It will be proceedings before the ICC all the way. There is no requirement for an arrested person to be brought before a Dutch local court, under the Rome Statute.”
“[Re] schedule of succeeding events, I defer to the ICC Spokesman’s statement. It is authoritative,” Malaya added.
Duterte was arrested after arriving from Hong Kong last Tuesday, 11 March 2025 and was taken into police custody after the ICC warrant was served.
From the airport, the 79-year-old Duterte was taken to Villamor Airbase and was examined by government doctors.
He later boarded a chartered flight to The Hague, the Netherlands, which left Villamor Air Base in Pasay City around 11pm, and arrived in Dubai on Wednesday at past 8am for a short layover. It left Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai at around 3:58pm.
The ICC started its probe on the massive drug killings as possible crimes against humanity under Duterte from November 2011 when he was still mayor of Davao City up to March 16, 2019 before Manila withdrew its membership to the Rome Statute.
