Latest news with #ThePhilippineStar
CNN
11-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte forced onto plane to The Hague after ICC arrest, his daughter says
Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has been 'forcibly taken' onto a plane headed for The Hague, his daughter said on Tuesday, hours after his dramatic arrest on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant over a brutal, years-long anti-drugs crackdown that left thousands of his citizens dead. Duterte was placed on a flight late on Tuesday, his daughter and local outlet The Philippine Star reported. 'They are taking him out on a plane by force without considering his health conditions,' Veronica Duterte wrote on Instagram. Reuters also reported that Duterte had boarded a plane. In a separate statement to the Philippine Star, Sara Duterte – who is also the country's vice president – said her father was being taken to The Hague. 'As I write this, he is being forcibly taken to The Hague tonight. This is not justice — this is oppression and persecution,' she said, according to the outlet. Duterte, 79, was taken into custody at the main airport in the capital Manila after returning to the Philippines from Hong Kong on Tuesday, charged with crimes against humanity. CNN has reached out to Interpol and the ICC for comment. The former leader oversaw a ferocious crackdown on drug pushers in the Southeast Asian country, targeting with relentless and bloody zeal a criminal trade that had sparked widespread anger among his supporters. The crackdown killed more than 6,000 people based on police data, though independent monitors believe the number of extrajudicial killings could be much higher. The ICC, which sits in the Dutch city of The Hague, had previously said it was investigating Duterte, but his arrest nonetheless caught the country off guard. It immediately mobilized his significant throng of supporters, some of whom angrily confronted police outside the airbase where he was held for several hours. Duterte's arrest and removal from the country is a stunning coda to a stormy and violent stint at the top of Philippines politics. Duterte ruled the country of 115 million people for six years, and his unrelenting war on drugs left behind a bloody legacy, but he is celebrated by voters particularly in Davao city, where he served as mayor for about two decades before ascending to the presidency. His drug crackdown killed thousands; many of the victims were young men from impoverished shanty towns, shot by police and rogue gunmen as part of a campaign to target dealers. It prompted internal inquiries and an ICC investigation that culminated in Tuesday's arrest. Duterte has repeatedly denied the extrajudicial killing of alleged drug suspects, although he also openly admitted to ordering police to shoot suspects who resist arrest. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019, in a move condemned by critics as an effort to shield himself from accountability. But under the ICC's withdrawal mechanism, the court keeps jurisdiction over crimes committed during the membership period of a state – in this case, between 2016, when his term started, and 2019, when the Philippines' pullout became official. At an event on Sunday in Hong Kong, Duterte lashed out at the ICC amid speculation that his arrest war nearing. 'I have a warrant … from the ICC or something,' he told supporters. 'What did I do wrong? I did everything that I could in my time, so there is a little bit of quiet and peace for the lives of the Filipinos.' His political ambitions did not conclude with the end of his term in office; Duterte registered in October to run as mayor in Davao. And he is supported by a political dynasty that still exerts authority up and down the country. His daughter Sara is vice president to Duterte's successor and political rival, Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., and was herself impeached last month on a range of accusations that include plotting to assassinate the new president. And his son Sebastian Duterte is the current mayor of Davao; he had planned to run as his father's vice-mayor in next year's mid-term elections. Correction: This story has been corrected to clarify that the Instagram post was uploaded by Duterte's daughter Veronica. CNN's Kathleen Magramo contributed reporting
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former Philippines President Duterte forced onto plane to The Hague after ICC arrest, his daughter says
Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has been 'forcibly taken' onto a plane headed for The Hague, his daughter said on Tuesday, hours after his dramatic arrest on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant over a brutal, years-long anti-drugs crackdown that left thousands of his citizens dead. Duterte was placed on a flight late on Tuesday, his daughter and local outlet The Philippine Star reported. 'They are taking him out on a plane by force without considering his health conditions,' Veronica Duterte wrote on Instagram. Reuters also reported that Duterte had boarded a plane. In a separate statement to the Philippine Star, Sara Duterte – who is also the country's vice president – said her father was being taken to The Hague. 'As I write this, he is being forcibly taken to The Hague tonight. This is not justice — this is oppression and persecution,' she said, according to the outlet. Duterte, 79, was taken into custody at the main airport in the capital Manila after returning to the Philippines from Hong Kong on Tuesday, charged with crimes against humanity. CNN has reached out to Interpol and the ICC for comment. The former leader oversaw a ferocious crackdown on drug pushers in the Southeast Asian country, targeting with relentless and bloody zeal a criminal trade that had sparked widespread anger among his supporters. The crackdown killed more than 6,000 people based on police data, though independent monitors believe the number of extrajudicial killings could be much higher. The ICC, which sits in the Dutch city of The Hague, had previously said it was investigating Duterte, but his arrest nonetheless caught the country off guard. It immediately mobilized his significant throng of supporters, some of whom angrily confronted police outside the airbase where he was held for several hours. Duterte's arrest and removal from the country is a stunning coda to a stormy and violent stint at the top of Philippines politics. Duterte ruled the country of 115 million people for six years, and his unrelenting war on drugs left behind a bloody legacy, but he is celebrated by voters particularly in Davao city, where he served as mayor for about two decades before ascending to the presidency. His drug crackdown killed thousands; many of the victims were young men from impoverished shanty towns, shot by police and rogue gunmen as part of a campaign to target dealers. It prompted internal inquiries and an ICC investigation that culminated in Tuesday's arrest. Duterte has repeatedly denied the extrajudicial killing of alleged drug suspects, although he also openly admitted to ordering police to shoot suspects who resist arrest. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019, in a move condemned by critics as an effort to shield himself from accountability. But under the ICC's withdrawal mechanism, the court keeps jurisdiction over crimes committed during the membership period of a state – in this case, between 2016, when his term started, and 2019, when the Philippines' pullout became official. At an event on Sunday in Hong Kong, Duterte lashed out at the ICC amid speculation that his arrest war nearing. 'I have a warrant … from the ICC or something,' he told supporters. 'What did I do wrong? I did everything that I could in my time, so there is a little bit of quiet and peace for the lives of the Filipinos.' His political ambitions did not conclude with the end of his term in office; Duterte registered in October to run as mayor in Davao. And he is supported by a political dynasty that still exerts authority up and down the country. His daughter Sara is vice president to Duterte's successor and political rival, Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., and was herself impeached last month on a range of accusations that include plotting to assassinate the new president. And his son Sebastian Duterte is the current mayor of Davao; he had planned to run as his father's vice-mayor in next year's mid-term elections. CNN's Kathleen Magramo contributed reporting
CNN
11-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte forced onto plane to The Hague after ICC arrest, his daughter says
Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has been 'forcibly taken' onto a plane headed for The Hague, his daughter said on Tuesday, hours after his dramatic arrest on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant over a brutal, years-long anti-drugs crackdown that left thousands of his citizens dead. Duterte was placed on a flight late on Tuesday, his daughter and local outlet The Philippine Star reported. 'They are taking him out on a plane by force without considering his health conditions,' Veronica Duterte wrote on Instagram. Reuters also reported that Duterte had boarded a plane. In a separate statement to the Philippine Star, Sara Duterte – who is also the country's vice president – said her father was being taken to The Hague. 'As I write this, he is being forcibly taken to The Hague tonight. This is not justice — this is oppression and persecution,' she said, according to the outlet. Duterte, 79, was taken into custody at the main airport in the capital Manila after returning to the Philippines from Hong Kong on Tuesday, charged with crimes against humanity. CNN has reached out to Interpol and the ICC for comment. The former leader oversaw a ferocious crackdown on drug pushers in the Southeast Asian country, targeting with relentless and bloody zeal a criminal trade that had sparked widespread anger among his supporters. The crackdown killed more than 6,000 people based on police data, though independent monitors believe the number of extrajudicial killings could be much higher. The ICC, which sits in the Dutch city of The Hague, had previously said it was investigating Duterte, but his arrest nonetheless caught the country off guard. It immediately mobilized his significant throng of supporters, some of whom angrily confronted police outside the airbase where he was held for several hours. Duterte's arrest and removal from the country is a stunning coda to a stormy and violent stint at the top of Philippines politics. Duterte ruled the country of 115 million people for six years, and his unrelenting war on drugs left behind a bloody legacy, but he is celebrated by voters particularly in Davao city, where he served as mayor for about two decades before ascending to the presidency. His drug crackdown killed thousands; many of the victims were young men from impoverished shanty towns, shot by police and rogue gunmen as part of a campaign to target dealers. It prompted internal inquiries and an ICC investigation that culminated in Tuesday's arrest. Duterte has repeatedly denied the extrajudicial killing of alleged drug suspects, although he also openly admitted to ordering police to shoot suspects who resist arrest. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019, in a move condemned by critics as an effort to shield himself from accountability. But under the ICC's withdrawal mechanism, the court keeps jurisdiction over crimes committed during the membership period of a state – in this case, between 2016, when his term started, and 2019, when the Philippines' pullout became official. At an event on Sunday in Hong Kong, Duterte lashed out at the ICC amid speculation that his arrest war nearing. 'I have a warrant … from the ICC or something,' he told supporters. 'What did I do wrong? I did everything that I could in my time, so there is a little bit of quiet and peace for the lives of the Filipinos.' His political ambitions did not conclude with the end of his term in office; Duterte registered in October to run as mayor in Davao. And he is supported by a political dynasty that still exerts authority up and down the country. His daughter Sara is vice president to Duterte's successor and political rival, Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr., and was herself impeached last month on a range of accusations that include plotting to assassinate the new president. And his son Sebastian Duterte is the current mayor of Davao; he had planned to run as his father's vice-mayor in next year's mid-term elections. Correction: This story has been corrected to clarify that the Instagram post was uploaded by Duterte's daughter Veronica. CNN's Kathleen Magramo contributed reporting
Express Tribune
28-02-2025
- Express Tribune
Brutal shark attack and strong currents claim lives of two Russian divers in the Philippines
In a harrowing incident off the coast of Batangas, Philippines, two Russian tourists met tragic ends during a diving expedition. Ilia Peregudin, 29, and Maksim Melekhov, 39, were part of a group that was swept away by strong undercurrents while diving near Verde Island—a popular spot known for its vibrant marine life. The coast guard reported that while two divers and their Filipino instructor managed to return safely, Peregudin and Melekhov were less fortunate. Coast guard district chief Airland Lapitan disclosed the grim details of the search and rescue operation. "The first man was found floating in the water and unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital," Lapitan stated. The second man's fate was even more dire; he was discovered amidst a brutal shark attack. "It took rescuers over half an hour to free him from the sharks. Tragically, he lost his right arm and sustained severe injuries," Lapitan added. Members of Coast Guard Batangas recover the bodies of two Russian nationals after they died during a diving session near Verde Island, Batangas City on Thursday. According to reports, one of the victims was immediately brought to St. Patrick Hospital in Batangas City but was… — The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) February 28, 2025 Despite valiant efforts to save him, the severity of the injuries proved too great. The local authorities noted, "The bodies were recovered and have been turned over to their families." An investigation has been launched to understand the full circumstances of the tragedy and to discuss preventative measures for future divers in the region. Shark attacks are notably rare in the Philippines, with this being the first such incident recorded in over a year. This tragedy has prompted local officials to reevaluate safety protocols to prevent such incidents in the future.
