Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte is being flown to The Hague after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant against him for crimes against humanity amid the “war on drugs” during his time in power.

Duterte, who is turning 80 on March 28, was arrested upon arrival from a trip to Hong Kong, the Philippine Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.

He was flown out of the country aboard a chartered plane 12 hours later.

“The plane carrying former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte took off at 11.03 pm (1503 GMT) this evening and exited Philippine airspace,” said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“The plane is en route to The Hague, the Netherlands, allowing the former president to face charges of crimes against humanity in relation to his bloody war on drugs,” he added.