Manila: The Filipino envoy who played a role in handing over former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been detained by the Senate of the Philippines on contempt charges, as reported by local media on Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Markus Lacanilao, the special envoy for transnational crime, voluntarily surrendered to the Senate on Monday following the development. His detention was prompted by Senator Imee Marcos, the elder sister of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., who cited Lacanilao in contempt during a Senate hearing on April 10. This led to a brief detention, although Senate President Francis 'Chiz' Escudero later ordered Lacanilao's release, noting that the proper procedure for citing contempt had not been followed by Marcos.

On April 11, the Senate demanded that Lacanilao provide a satisfactory explanation as to why he should not be held in contempt. Following his hearing, the contempt order stated that Lacanilao 'failed to satisfactorily explain, through a clear statement of facts, why his answers during the hearing were not evasive,' resulting in his being placed under Senate custody for up to two days.

Lacanilao had previously stated that he boarded the flight to The Hague because he was the only official who had his passport available on the night of Duterte's arrest. Additionally, he indicated 'do not know' on an ICC form that inquired about details of Duterte's appearance before a national judicial authority, as reported by Rappler.

Duterte was apprehended in Manila on March 11 under an ICC warrant and was transported to The Hague the same day. He is held accountable for thousands of deaths during his administration's war on drugs from 2016 to 2022.