Philippine authorities deploy forces for Duterte's potential arrest

A source revealed that Philippine authorities had been preparing for former President Rodrigo Duterte's arrest since January as part of Oplan Tugis.

On March 7, when an ICC warrant was issued, Duterte flew to Hong Kong but the Hong Kong Police Force refused to cooperate with Interpol due to China’s non-membership in the Rome Statute.

Upon returning to the Philippines on March 11, Duterte reportedly requested asylum from China, which was denied.

To discourage Duterte from landing in Davao City, where he has significant support, Philippine authorities deployed two battalions of PNP Special Action Force (PNP SAF) at Davao International Airport.

At Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), a team consisting of 60 CIDG and 20 SAF personnel conducted multiple dry runs to ensure smooth arrest proceedings.

Twelve hours after his return, Duterte was on a chartered flight en route to The Hague to face the ICC.