Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was sent to The Hague after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him for crimes against humanity in the "war on drugs" he waged while in power, BTA reports.
Duterte, who will turn 80 on March 28, was arrested upon his arrival on his return from Hong Kong, the press service of the Philippine presidency said in a statement. He was flown out of the country on a chartered plane 12 hours later.
"The plane carrying former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte took off at 11:03 p.m. local time (15:03 GMT) and left Philippine airspace," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.
"The plane is en route to The Hague, Netherlands, so that the former president can be tried on charges of crimes against humanity in connection with his bloody war on drugs," he added.