Paolo Duterte to follow daddy Digong to the Hague

Davao Representative Paolo Duterte is set to leave the Philippines to join his father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, who was sent to The Hague by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face charges of crimes against humanity related to his administration’s war on drugs.

Rep. Duterte sought House travel clearance on Tuesday night, allowing him to fly to the Netherlands and Japan from 12 March to 15 April. The expenses will be shouldered personally, according to the clearance request.

House Secretary General Reginald Velasco confirmed that he approved the request on Wednesday afternoon, citing standard protocol for urgent personal trips.

“Since it is a personal trip, no funds of the government will be involved, we grant this type of request. There's no problem, as long as he doesn't leave the country without asking for a travel clearance. We have an understanding with the congressmen,” Velasco told reporters.

Rep. Duterte is expected to join his sister, Vice President Sara Duterte, who is en route to Amsterdam, Netherlands, to help coordinate their father’s legal defense.

The former president was arrested at Ninoy Aquino International Airport early Tuesday upon his return from Hong Kong after the ICC warrant was served through Interpol.

Duterte faces charges of human rights abuses linked to his bloody war on drugs, which resulted in at least 7,000 deaths, although rights groups estimate the toll could be over 30,000, disproportionately affecting low-income communities.

He departed the country at 11:03 PM on a chartered flight following a standoff with authorities.

Duterte’s camp criticized the arrest, claiming due process was not followed and that authorities lacked a physical arrest warrant. His children have since petitioned the Supreme Court to have him returned to the Philippines.

The country withdrew from the ICC’s Rome Statute in 2019 after the tribunal launched a preliminary investigation into Duterte’s drug war, but the ICC maintains jurisdiction over crimes committed before the withdrawal.

The ICC temporarily halted its probe after the House quad committee launched a parallel investigation, but evidence of state-sponsored killings has since emerged.

In a Senate inquiry last October, Duterte took full legal responsibility for the drug war deaths and stated that police officers should not be held accountable.

He admitted under oath that he encouraged police to provoke drug suspects into resisting arrest, justifying their execution.

The quad committee uncovered a payout scheme rewarding police for killing drug suspects, a strategy allegedly based on the so-called “Davao template” used when Duterte was Davao City mayor.

Retired Colonel Royina Garma testified that the scheme incentivized officers to eliminate drug suspects, further strengthening the ICC’s case against the former president.

Earlier, Duterte challenged the ICC to come to the Philippines, stating that he was ready to face trial.

“They can come here anytime. You know, we're not hiding… If I am found guilty, I will go to prison and rot there for all time,” Duterte had previously declared.

Despite this, he fled the country amid the ICC’s legal action, leaving his fate now in the hands of the international court.