The Committee of Foreign Affairs in Philippines convened on March 20, discussing the arrest of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte. Senators engaged in a fierce debate over Duterte's arrest with officials questioning the legality of ICC's move as well as if Philippines was a signatory to the ICC statute.

Philippine officials on Thursday defended before the country's Senate the arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court of former President Rodrigo Duterte, as they faced allegations he was illegally abducted at the behest of a foreign institution.

Rodrigo Duterte was surrendered to authorities based on a Philippine law, Department of Justice Sec. Boying Remulla said during a Senate hearing into the International Criminal Court's issuance of an arrest warrant against the former president.