Philippine authorities announced on Tuesday morning the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte upon the landing of his plane at Manila International Airport. The arrest was based on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity during his war on drug dealers.

The Philippine presidency stated in a press release, "Early this morning, Interpol in Manila received the official copy of the arrest warrant issued by the ICC," noting that Duterte is "now in the custody of authorities.

According to a statement from the office of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Duterte was arrested immediately upon his arrival from Hong Kong and detained by police in compliance with the ICC's orders. The court is investigating mass killings that occurred during Duterte's harsh campaign against illegal drugs.

The 79-year-old Duterte faces charges of "premeditated murder" by the ICC due to his crackdown, which human rights groups estimate resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of mostly poor men at the hands of military and police forces, often without evidence of their involvement in drugs.

The Philippine presidency's statement added that "the former president and his group are in good health and are undergoing examinations by government doctors.

Duterte was arrested shortly after landing at Manila International Airport following a brief trip to Hong Kong.

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under Duterte's orders, but the court maintained its jurisdiction over killings that occurred before the withdrawal, as well as killings in Davao City when Duterte served as mayor years before becoming president.