Heavy police presence at Davao Airport raises speculation Amid ICC rumors

DAVAO CITY, Philippines —Travelers and bystanders at Francisco Bangoy International Airport (Davao International Airport) were alarmed early March 9, 2025, when they noticed three police vehicles loaded with personnel bearing Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) patches deployed at the terminal entrance.

The unusual police presence sparked speculation, with some travelers linking it to recent unverified reports of an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant of arrest against former President Rodrigo Duterte.

PNP Clarifies: It’s a SIMEX

Police Regional Office XI (PRO XI) Spokesperson Police Major Catherine Dela Rey dismissed the concerns and confirmed that the heavy police deployment was part of a simulation exercise (SIMEX).

“It is an ongoing simulation exercise, and we don’t know when it will be conducted,” Dela Rey told Newsline. “It is not the RMFB but another provincial police office. I don’t have an idea until when, as it depends on the scenario they are undertaking.”

The Regional Mobile Force Battalions (RMFB) are under the command of Police Regional Director Victor Rosete. The same unit was previously deployed to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in September 2024, further fueling curiosity about its latest activity.

Public Speculations and ICC Rumors

Coincidentally, the airport’s security was heightened as former President Duterte was in Hong Kong for a Thanksgiving rally with Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

This also followed unverified claims that the ICC had issued a warrant of arrest against Duterte in connection with alleged extrajudicial killings during his war on drugs. However, no official statement has confirmed such a development.

A taxi driver at the airport expressed his thoughts on the situation, saying in Cebuano: “Daghan man police, tingala mi abi namo og nay mangabot nga VIP pero nagpundo ra man doul sa entrance, basin kadtong ICC.” (There are a lot of police, we thought a VIP was arriving, but they were just stationed near the entrance—maybe it’s because of the ICC.)

ICC Website: No Arrest Warrant for Duterte

In a fact-check by Newsline, a review of the ICC’s official website shows that Duterte’s name is not listed among the 69 individuals with active or previous arrest warrants for crimes such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression.

Among the 69 names listed on the ICC website:

Bahar Idriss Abu Garda – Chairman and General Coordinator of Military Operations of the United Resistance Front, charged with war crimes in Darfur, Sudan.

Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz – Convicted member of Ansar Eddine and former de facto chief of Islamic police.

Omar Hassan Ahmad Al Bashir – Former President of Sudan, with two outstanding arrest warrants issued in 2009 and 2010.

Political Climate and Support for Duterte

The absence of Duterte’s name from the ICC warrant list has led many to believe that the rumored arrest warrant is a deliberate psychological operation aimed at gauging public reaction should such a move ever materialize.

Several Duterte supporters and netizens quickly reacted to the speculations, vowing to protect the former president if ever an international body attempts to detain him. Many cited their indebtedness to Duterte’s leadership during his tenure as Mayor of Davao City and as the 16th President of the Philippines.

Security Exercises and Political Climate

While the PNP maintains that the airport police presence is purely a SIMEX, the political context surrounding Duterte’s alleged ICC case and his strained relationship with the current administration have added layers of intrigue to the situation.

The Marcos administration has remained silent on the rumored ICC warrant, while Davao City remains on high alert amid Duterte’s absence.

Authorities have yet to release an official timeline or scope of the ongoing simulation exercises, but Dabawenyos remain watchful, wary of security threats and political maneuvering in the city.