Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has denied he committed crimes against humanity in his controversial crackdown on drugs, telling thousands of Filipinos packed into a stadium in Hong Kong he only wanted to help people.

The 79-year-old delivered an emotionally charged speech at Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai on Sunday at the event for Filipino workers, as he hit out over an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation amid speculation the global body would issue a warrant for his arrest.

“[The ICC] has been chasing me for a long time. What did I do wrong? I did everything that I could in my time, so there could be a little bit of quiet and peace for the lives of the Filipinos,” he said.

“Why did I do that? Was it for myself? Was it for my family? It is for you and your children in our country.

“There is nothing we can do if we get arrested and jailed, in the meantime, just contribute … so when I get out of jail, you can make me a monument.”

The crowd responded with chants and applause throughout the 50-minute speech.