Netherlands: Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has said he is ready to take responsibility as the International Criminal Court (ICC) took him into custody on Wednesday to face charges related to his controversial war on drugs.

The ICC, based in The Hague, has stated that there are "reasonable grounds" to charge Duterte with murder as a crime against humanity, accusing him of being an "indirect co-perpetrator" in the anti-drug campaign, which rights groups estimate led to the deaths of tens of thousands.

"I am the one who led our law enforcement and military. I said that I will protect you and I will be responsible for all of this," Duterte said in a video shared on his and a close advisor's Facebook pages.

"I have been telling the police, the military, that it was my job and I am responsible," added the 79-year-old, making him the first Asian former head of state to appear before the ICC.

A spokesman confirmed that Duterte was in court custody after arriving in Rotterdam by private jet. A vehicle believed to be carrying Duterte entered the ICC detention centre in The Hague, passing a crowd of dozens of supporters, some shouting "Bring him back" and waving national flags.

"There has been no due process," said caregiver Duds Quibin, 50. "This is kidnapping. They just put him on a plane and brought him here," he told AFP.

The detention centre, located near the North Sea coast, offers each prisoner an individual cell with a computer to work on their case and an outdoor exercise area. Duterte will remain there until an initial court appearance, expected in the coming days.

Outside the ICC, Gilbert Andres, a lawyer representing victims of Duterte's drug war, expressed gratitude for the arrest. "My clients are very thankful to God because their prayers have been answered," he said. "The arrest of Rodrigo Duterte is a great signal for international criminal justice. It means that no one is above the law," he added.

Before her father's departure, Vice President Sara Duterte labelled the transfer "oppression and persecution" and said he was being "forcibly taken to The Hague." She flew from Manila to be by his side and later landed in Amsterdam, planning to hold a press conference at The Hague on Friday.

The once-close alliance between President Ferdinand Marcos and the Duterte family has unravelled dramatically since the 2022 presidential election, when Sara Duterte became Marcos's running mate. She is currently facing a Senate trial on multiple charges, including corruption and an alleged assassination plot against Marcos.

At a church in Manila, relatives of those killed in the drug war welcomed the arrest. "Duterte is fortunate, there's due process for him. There was no due process for my son," said Emily Soriano, whose son was killed in the campaign. "Duterte will be lying down on a good bed, my son is already rotting at the cemetery."

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk described the arrest as "a very important step towards seeking accountability for the thousands of victims of killings."

China, however, warned the ICC against "politicisation" and "double standards," stating it was "closely monitoring" the case. The high-profile case comes amid ongoing sanctions against the ICC from former US President Donald Trump, who has opposed the court after it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan emphasised the significance of Duterte's arrest, stating, "The fact that Duterte’s arrest warrant has been carried out is important to victims and shows that international law is not as weak as some may think."

The Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 under Duterte's orders, but the tribunal claims jurisdiction over killings that occurred before the country’s departure, including those in Davao when Duterte served as mayor. The ICC's arrest warrant mentioned "reasonable grounds to believe" that at least 19 people were murdered by members of the "Davao Death Squad" led by Duterte, with at least 24 others killed by police in various locations.

On Sunday, Duterte lashed out at ICC investigators, calling them "sons of whores" but reiterated that he would "accept" his arrest.

Despite the charges, Duterte remains immensely popular among many who supported his tough stance on crime and continues to be a powerful political figure in the Philippines.