Philippines: ICC confirms Duterte's crimes against humanity charges The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed charges of crimes against humanity against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, setting the stage for his trial. The 81-year-old leader, who served from 2016 to 2019, faces accusations of orchestrating the extrajudicial killing of thousands during his controversial "war on drugs" campaign, which spanned from 2011 to 2019. The ICC’s pre-trial judges unanimously approved the charges, citing substantial evidence that Duterte’s actions met the criteria for crimes against humanity. The court’s statement emphasized that the charges were based on credible grounds, marking a significant step in the legal process. Duterte, who has consistently denied the allegations, has been detained for over a year following his arrest at a Manila airport in 2023. His legal team has sought to challenge the ICC’s jurisdiction, arguing that the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute—the ICC’s founding treaty—in 2019. However, the court ruled that the alleged crimes occurred while the Philippines was still a member, thereby upholding its authority to prosecute. The ICC also authorized more than 500 victims to participate in the proceedings, highlighting the gravity of the case. Duterte’s lawyers plan to appeal the Pre-Trial Chamber’s ruling, but the court has already dismissed claims that he is unfit to participate due to cognitive impairment, citing medical experts’ assessments. The trial centers on Duterte’s "war on drugs," a campaign that human rights groups allege targeted small-time drug dealers while failing to apprehend high-level traffickers.#philippines #international_criminal_court #rodrigo_duterte #rome_statute #karakatang_karapatang_mamamayan
Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Set for Trial Over Alleged Drug War Crimes Judges at the International Criminal Court confirmed on Thursday that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will face trial for crimes against humanity related to his alleged role in deadly anti-drug crackdowns during his tenure as mayor of Davao City and later as president. A three-judge panel unanimously ruled there were “substantial grounds” to believe Duterte, 81, was responsible for dozens of murders, including the orchestration of a policy to “neutralize” alleged criminals. The decision marks a pivotal moment in the case, which has drawn global attention for its implications on accountability for state-sanctioned violence. Duterte, who served as president from 2016 to 2022, was arrested in the Philippines in 2023 and transferred to The Hague, where the ICC is based. He has consistently denied the charges, which allege that his administration authorized widespread extrajudicial killings during the drug war. Prosecutors argue that police and hit squads, acting under Duterte’s directive, carried out hundreds of murders starting in 2011, often motivated by financial incentives or to avoid becoming targets themselves. Deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang described the violence as a “perverse form of competition” among law enforcement personnel. Estimates of the death toll during Duterte’s presidency vary dramatically. National police reported over 6,000 fatalities, while human rights groups claim the figure could be as high as 30,000. Prosecutors emphasized that the ICC’s decision represents a “significant milestone” in their pursuit of justice, though the trial’s outcome remains uncertain.#international_criminal_court #philippine_president #rodrigo_duterte #kian_delos_santos #human_rights_watch
