The International Criminal Court (ICC) is conducting hearings to determine if former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte should face trial for crimes against humanity during his "war on drugs." As mayor and later president, Duterte oversaw a campaign that resulted in the extrajudicial killings of tens of thousands, according to human rights groups. ICC prosecutors have linked him to 76 murders and charged him with three counts of crimes against humanity.

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Duterte, 80, faced global criticism but remained defiant, once stating he'd gladly "slaughter" millions of drug addicts. Prosecutor Mame Niang urged accountability for the killings, many involving children, reminding judges that power does not exempt one from the law.

Duterte declined to attend the hearings, challenging the ICC's authority and claiming innocence. The proceedings, lasting four days, will determine if there is enough evidence for a full trial.

Duterte, elected in 2016, promised to tackle street crime with a harsh anti-drug stance, which gained him popularity despite controversy. His leadership style drew support for addressing issues in marginalized areas, yet his rhetoric was often shocking. He compared himself to Hitler and showed no remorse for the violent campaign.

Despite being jailed in The Hague, Duterte's influence persists; he won the Davao mayoral race in 2025. His daughter, Sara, is vice-president, and his son, Sebastian, is Davao's acting mayor.

As the first Asian ex-head of state charged by the ICC, Duterte allegedly committed crimes from 2011 to 2019, using police and hitmen in his anti-drug drive. Rights groups claim the operations targeted urban poor rather than major dealers, causing widespread summary executions.

Duterte rejected ICC jurisdiction, citing the Philippines' withdrawal from the Rome Statute. He described the charges as "outrageous lies" and refused courtroom presence due to age and health issues.

His arrest last March followed political fallout between Duterte's family and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ending their alliance and shifting Marcos's stance on ICC cooperation. Duterte was apprehended in Manila and transferred to The Hague, documented extensively on social media.

The Duterte-Marcos split is part of a larger power struggle between two influential families. Marcos's alliance with Duterte led to his 2022 presidential win but quickly fractured over diverging ambitions.

For the ICC, this case challenges its capacity to prosecute former leaders when domestic courts fail. The outcome could influence global perceptions of accountability for state leaders.

After the current hearings, the ICC will issue a decision in 60 days on proceeding to trial.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 23 Feb 2026

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Interesting that this is going forward when Duterte's government did not recognize the ICC. I suppose the ICC is the court of last resort nowadays.

2 hours ago, Purdey said:

Interesting that this is going forward when Duterte's government did not recognize the ICC. I suppose the ICC is the court of last resort nowadays.

I think the period that the ICC is levelling charges upon is when the Philippines was still in the ICC. The case is a joke to me though, bearing in mind other extra-judicial killings that have happened in other parts of the world. I've talked to Filipinos who know what happened during that time, and they want that Duterte era back as they felt safer during that time. With the Marcos crime family back in charge the corruption is back in full swing, as are the drug issues.

4 hours ago, Purdey said:

Interesting that this is going forward when Duterte's government did not recognize the ICC. I suppose the ICC is the court of last resort nowadays.

Same as Thailand they don't recognize the ICC in the Ruling Cambodia/ Thailand

2 hours ago, Watawattana said:

I think the period that the ICC is levelling charges upon is when the Philippines was still in the ICC. The case is a joke to me though, bearing in mind other extra-judicial killings that have happened in other parts of the world. I've talked to Filipinos who know what happened during that time, and they want that Duterte era back as they felt safer during that time. With the Marcos crime family back in charge the corruption is back in full swing, as are the drug issues.

What this man Duterte and his people did was the right thing to do.

People want to fight the drug problem with a Pussy attitude that don't work.

Other countries should take not what Duterte did ,no pussy footing around you Never win .Get Serious like Duterte and go and get Results.

People may say it was right, but I bet no one was counting the innocent civilian bystanders.

Official sources report that 6,248 individuals were killed during Duterte’s “war on drugs”, while civil society organizations estimate the toll to be between 12,000 and 30,000. Many children were among the victims. Their deaths remain largely underreported, primarily due to fear of reprisals. Imagine your own kids out playing and getting shot dead as the collateral damage. Sometimes you can't even find the bodies.

I wouldn’t really have a problem with drug dealers being eliminated, if it was only limited to Heroin dealers etc. Unfortunately too many innocent bystanders were also killed, just by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This includes one case where a Child was killed on the back of a motorbike when police shot at the driver. There are plenty of other disturbing cases were Children were killed.

Some of the killings were also just a case of old scores being settled. Acting on untrue information supplied by rivals, the Police had carte Blanche to carry out executions. In some cases, in collusion with, and paid by the informants. That’s the problem with the policy, no trail to prove a persons guilt, the Police acted as juror and executioner.

Duterte didn’t care about the innocent people killed.

5 hours ago, Purdey said:

Interesting that this is going forward when Duterte's government did not recognize the ICC. I suppose the ICC is the court of last resort nowadays.

Had there been an ICC to indict Adolf Hitler in 1939 (by which time he had committed enough crimes against his own population to have deserved it) it is unlikely "Germany" would have handed him over either.

Duterte got handed over, much to the displeasure of his daughter, who was previously vice-president in the government that subsequently did it, because he was in no position to prevent it.

My Aussie friend's goddaughter--aged 27--was shot and killed in Manila. They hung a sign around her neck: this is what happens to drug dealers. She never touched drugs in her life. The murders were a free-for-all with police, soldiers & vigilantes.

Thaksin should be arrested for his own "drug war". Numbers don't count.

Doesn't anybody realise El Mencho and El Chapo are not to blame. The Brits' Opium Wars started all this. America followed and poisoned the world in modern times. America created this problem from the git-go. Legalise all drugs!

20 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

My Aussie friend's goddaughter--aged 27--was shot and killed in Manila. They hung a sign around her neck: this is what happens to drug dealers. She never touched drugs in her life. The murders were a free-for-all with police, soldiers & vigilantes.

Thaksin should be arrested for his own "drug war". Numbers don't count.

Doesn't anybody realise El Mencho and El Chapo are not to blame. The Brits' Opium Wars started all this. America followed and poisoned the world in modern times. America created this problem from the git-go. Legalise all drugs!

Er that was quite a while ago wasn't it?

Now they can make offers to pay off the

Government debt!

2 hours ago, Jim Blue said:

Er that was quite a while ago wasn't it?

Now they can make offers to pay off the

Government debt!

And why not? Include them as partners to bail out every country in debt. Those who want, get their drugs. Cartels and the cascade down to street dealer level pay no tax (just as now), just a voluntary contribution. Everybody wins.