Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte will stand trial at the International Criminal Court after judges confirmed charges of crimes against humanity linked to his controversial anti-drug campaign.
The court said its pre-trial chamber unanimously found “substantial grounds to believe” Duterte committed the alleged crimes, paving the way for full trial proceedings in The Hague.
Duterte, 81, is accused of orchestrating extrajudicial killings during his “war on drugs” between 2011 and 2019, a campaign that human rights groups say resulted in thousands of deaths, particularly among low-level suspects.
The confirmation followed months of legal challenges by Duterte’s defence team, including repeated attempts to secure his release from detention, where he has been held for over a year. His lawyers also argued that he was unfit to stand trial due to cognitive impairment, but ICC judges rejected the claim, citing medical assessments that found him capable of participating in proceedings.
Duterte has consistently refused to recognise the court’s authority, maintaining that the Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute in 2019 stripped the ICC of jurisdiction. However, judges ruled that the court retains authority because the alleged crimes occurred while the country was still a member.
The case has drawn significant international attention, with the ICC authorising more than 500 victims to participate in the proceedings, marking one of the largest victim representations in the court’s history.
At the centre of the trial is Duterte’s anti-drug crackdown, which his critics say disproportionately targeted vulnerable communities while failing to dismantle major drug networks. Duterte has denied wrongdoing, describing the allegations as “an outrageous lie,” while police officials have maintained that officers acted in self-defence.
His arrest at a Manila airport last year and subsequent transfer to The Hague came amid a political rift involving his daughter, Sara Duterte, and incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr..
Reactions to the ICC decision have been sharply divided. Critics of Duterte’s policies described the development as a long-awaited step toward accountability. Lawmaker Leila de Lima called it “a great day for the fighters against impunity and state-sponsored violence,” while acknowledging the pain of victims’ families.
Human rights group KARAPATAN described the moment as both vindication and tragedy, noting that justice cannot reverse the loss of thousands of lives.
Despite the charges, Duterte retains a loyal support base, with protests held in opposition to his detention, underscoring deep divisions within the Philippines over his legacy and the broader fight against crime.
Erizia Rubyjeana
