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On Thursday, the International Criminal Court’s judges upheld charges of crimes against humanity against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. These charges stem from the deadly anti-drug operations he is accused of directing during his time in office.
A panel of three judges reached a unanimous decision, declaring there are “substantial grounds” to suspect Duterte’s involvement in numerous killings. These alleged acts occurred during his tenure as mayor of Davao in the southern Philippines and continued into his presidency.
Duterte, now 80 years old, was apprehended in the Philippines last year and maintains his innocence regarding these accusations.
In a detailed 50-page ruling, the judges concluded that evidence indicates Duterte “developed, disseminated, and implemented” a strategy aimed at “neutralizing” individuals accused of criminal activity.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte was seen answering questions about his drug war before lawmakers at the Senate on October 28, 2024, in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)
According to prosecutors, police and hit squad members carried out dozens of murders at Duterte’s behest, motivated by the promise of money or to avoid becoming targets themselves.
“For some, killing reached the level of a perverse form of competition,” deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang told the court in pretrial hearings in February.
A date for the start of the trial has not yet been set.
Duterte’s lead defense lawyer Nick Kaufman told judges during the February hearings that he “stands behind his legacy resolutely, and he maintains his innocence absolutely.”
Former President Rodrigo Duterte speaks inside Southorn Stadium during a thanksgiving gathering organized by Hong Kong-based Filipino workers on March 9, 2025. (AP)
Kaufman argued that the prosecution “cherry-picked” examples of Duterte’s “bombastic rhetoric,” and his client’s words were never intended to incite violence.
Estimates of the death toll during Duterte’s presidential term vary, from the more than 6,000 that the national police have reported to up to 30,000 claimed by human rights groups.
Duterte has not been present in the courtroom for any hearings, having waived his right to appear. Last month judges found he was fit to stand trial, after postponing an earlier hearing over concerns about his health.
Security officers patrol the airport in Manila, Philippines, after former President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested on March 11, 2025. (Aaron Favila/AP)
ICC prosecutors said in 2018 that they would open a preliminary investigation into the violent drug crackdowns. In a move that human rights activists say was aimed at avoiding accountability, Duterte, who was president at the time, announced a month later that the Philippines would leave the court.
On Wednesday, appeals judges rejected a request from Duterte’s legal team to throw out the case on the grounds that the court did not have jurisdiction because of the Philippine withdrawal.