An unannounced trip by former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to Hong Kong has set off speculations that he may be trying to evade a possible arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court over his bloody crackdown on drugs.

An elected leader once dubbed “The Punisher” is on his way to The Hague to face trial for crimes against humanity during a brutal war on drugs, in a breathtaking reversal of fortune for a politician who once openly boasted about killing people and placing opponents on hit lists.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte has arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from Hong Kong amid heightened police presence and speculation of an arrest.