Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who was taken into custody by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on murder charges in connection with his ‘war on drugs’, said on Thursday, March 13, that he takes responsibility for it. In a message posted on Facebook, Rodrigo Duterte said he face the law for ‘what happened in the past.’

“Whatever happened in the past, I will be the front of our law enforcement and the military. I said this already, that I will protect you, and I will be responsible for everything,” Duterte said. These are his first remarks after his arrest in Manila. The video was reportedly taken inside a plane.

Rodrigo Duterte has been charged with murder for his role in the deadly “war on drugs,” which resulted in the deaths of thousands of suspected drug dealers and users.

What did ICC say?

Rodrigo Duterte faces allegations of being charge of the death squads who killed 6200 dealers and users in the six years of his rule.

The ICC said Duterte was “surrendered to the custody of the International Criminal Court. He was arrested by the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines…for charges of murder as a crime against humanity.”

Duterte has been transferred to a detention unit and will appear before an ICC judge in The Hague in a few days.

“This will be a long legal proceeding, but I say to you, I will continue to serve my country. And so be it, if that is my destiny,” Duterte said, while assuring his supporters he was well.

“I am okay, do not worry,” he said.