China allegedly denied former president Rodrigo Duterte’s request for asylum before his arrest by Philippine authorities following an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant, according to a source who provided details on how the operation unfolded.

A GMA 7 report on Thursday revealed that Philippine authorities had been preparing for Duterte’s arrest since January under Oplan Tugis, a strategy led by the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) for implementing the ICC warrant.

PNP Chief Rommel Marbil had reportedly ordered CIDG head Nicolas Torre III to ensure Duterte was placed under police custody immediately after the ICC issued its warrant. The warrant stems from crimes against humanity charges related to the violent war on drugs during his administration.

On 7 March, Duterte flew to Hong Kong to attend an event with Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). That same day, the ICC Pre-Trial Chamber 1 issued its warrant for his arrest.

The report said that during this period, Philippine authorities were already coordinating with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).

However, the source claimed that while the PNP-CIDG sought to arrest Duterte in Hong Kong, local authorities refused to cooperate, as China is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize the jurisdiction of the Rome Statute.

The source further alleged that Duterte requested asylum from China but was denied, leaving him with no choice but to return to the Philippines. He reportedly had five confirmed bookings for flights back home.

Duterte under surveillance

Authorities closely monitored Duterte’s activities, deploying four CIDG agents to track his movements until he returned to the Philippines on 11 March.

Upon Duterte’s return, the PNP-CIDG allegedly used “psy war” tactics, deploying two battalions of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) to Davao International Airport — a known Duterte stronghold — to discourage any attempt to land there. Instead, Duterte arrived in Manila, where he was arrested on 11 March.

On 14 March, Duterte made his first court appearance before ICC judges via video link. He is currently detained at the ICC Detention Center, awaiting the confirmation of charges hearing set for 23 September.