Former Philippines President Who Cherished Gaming Arrested Over Alleged Drug Killings

Posted on: March 11, 2025, 10:18h. 

Last updated on: March 11, 2025, 10:25h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • Rodrigo Duterte has been arrested in Manila
  • Duterte is the former president of the Philippines
  • Duterte is accused of an unlawful war on drugs

Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has been detained after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a warrant for his arrest on alleged crimes against humanity, including anti-drug crackdowns that saw thousands of suspected drug dealers slaughtered without due process while he was in office.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte arrest
Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, is swarmed inside the Southorn Stadium in Hong Kong on Sunday, March 9, 2025. Duterte was arrested upon his return to the Philippines on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Image: AP)

Duterte, 79, was in office from June 2016 through June 2022. The former mayor of Davao, Duterte campaigned on anti-crime and narcotics issues.

After winning the presidency, he carried out that pledge, saying his rule would be “a bloody one.” He assured police and soldiers that he would issue them pardons at the end of his presidency to prevent legal recourse against their carrying out his war.

Duterte’s presidency was clouded by controversy and allegations of human rights issues. The United Nations, United States, and European Union condemned his war on drugs that reportedly led to the deaths of up to 30K people. International bodies believe around half of the killings were carried out by unknown assailants.

Duterte was arrested Tuesday at Manila International Airport upon his return from Hong Kong. He becomes the first former Asian leader to be arrested by the global court.

Gaming Proponent, China Opponent

While Duterte carried out his war on drugs as promised, the president did a major flip-flop when it came to the Philippines’ multibillion-dollar gaming market.

Duterte initially pledged to push out the oligarchs who maintained control of the Philippines’ internet gaming operations. He specifically took issue with billionaire Roberto Ongpin, who controlled PhilWeb, the country’s largest operator of internet gaming cafes.

While Ongpin was forced to depart PhilWeb, Duterte later decided not to crack down on offshore gaming operations that targeted gamblers in China despite continued requests from the People’s Republic. After meeting with Xi Jinping in August 2019, Duterte said just weeks later that POGOs, or Philippine offshore gaming operations, shall continue.

I decided we need it to benefit the interest of my country,” Duterte said. However, he warned POGOs that if they don’t pay their appropriate taxes and fees, “You will be shuttered. Even if you’re a gambling lord, I don’t care who you are.”

Duterte’s right-hand man, Jose Santiago “Chito” Romana, added about POGOs that “China cannot dictate us.”

Duterte additionally halted an effort to sell off the Philippines’ state-owned casinos under the Casino Filipino brand. He said the casinos provide too big a tax benefit to the Philippines Amusement and Gaming Corporation, which operates on behalf of the Philippines government.

Duterte did block the Philippines from expanding its privately-owned gaming industry by way of Boracay, a popular tourist island.

“You know the billionaires? They wanted to build casinos there. I did not allow it,” Duterte said in 2018.

ICC Claims

The ICC is an intergovernmental organization based in the Netherlands. The ICC has the international jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for international crimes including genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. The Philippines aren’t among the ICC’s 125 member states.

Upon his arrest, Duterte’s attorneys requested that the Philippines Supreme Court block any attempt to have the former president extradited to the ICC in Europe to face the charges. Duterte’s successor, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has stated that his administration will cooperate with the ICC.