The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) announced on March 12 that following the arrest of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte by Philippine authorities on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant and his transfer to the ICC court in the Netherlands, the time is approaching for the arrest of Myanmar’s violent military leader Min Aung Hlaing. Duterte was arrested on March 11 and transferred to The Hague, Netherlands, on charges related to mass killings carried out under the guise of a drug war in the Philippines.
Although the Philippines withdrew from ICC membership in 2019, their decisive action in arresting someone under an ICC warrant represents a major push for accountability and responsibility in the international community, according to SAC-M founder Yanghee Lee. This particularly sends a strong message to Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar, as ICC prosecutors have already applied for an arrest warrant against him in November 2024 for crimes related to the expulsion and persecution of Rohingya people. The ICC is expected to issue an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing soon and has indicated that warrants for additional responsible parties are forthcoming. Recently, an Argentine court has also issued arrest warrants for 25 military and civilian figures from Myanmar, including Min Aung Hlaing.
SAC-M founder Marzuki Darusman stated that Duterte’s arrest represents a very strong action and shows respect for the ICC and Interpol from an influential ASEAN member state, while also demonstrating international accountability. He emphasized that this clearly shows Min Aung Hlaing will certainly face arrest at some point. Chris Sidoti, another SAC-M founder, added that the arrest of the Philippine president brings rays of hope to the people of Myanmar who have lost faith in the UN, international human rights systems, and justice commitments. The Philippines took this significant step of arresting their former president who was under an ICC warrant as they prepare to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2026.
