Plane carrying Duterte proceeds to Netherlands after Dubai layover

Metro Manila, Philippines - The chartered plane with former President Rodrigo Duterte on board left Dubai Wednesday afternoon, March 12, for the Netherlands, according to online flight trackers.

Interpol arrested the former president on Tuesday to face charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court at The Hague related to his bloody drug war.

Data from US-based company FlightAware and Swedish-based service Flightradar24 showed RP-C5219 left Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai at 11:58 a.m. local time (3:58 p.m. in Manila).

Tracking from Flightradar24 showed that Duterte’s departure was nearly seven hours delayed.

The travel service estimates the plane will arrive at Rotterdam The Hague Airport past 5 p.m. local time (past 12 a.m., Thursday, in Manila).

Malacañang said Duterte will first face a local court in the Netherlands to determine whether the process of his arrest was proper.

Vice President Sara Duterte is on her way to the Netherlands as well to help her father.

From a weekend political sortie in Hong Kong, Duterte landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday and was served an arrest warrant.

Duterte and Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, the top implementer of the anti-drug campaign, filed with the Supreme Court a petition for a temporary restraining order on the former president’s arrest.

Magistrates said the petition “failed to establish a clear and unmistakable right” for the immediate issuance of a TRO.