Former Philippine President Duterte Faces ICC Trial for Crimes Against Humanity

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1547 EAT on Thursday 23 April 2026

Judges at the International Criminal Court have confirmed three counts of murder as crimes against humanity against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, paving the way for his trial.

In a decision issued on Thursday, the court said there were “substantial grounds” to believe Duterte, 81, was responsible for the killing of 76 people and the attempted murder of two others as part of his anti-drug campaign, which prosecutors allege led to the deaths of thousands of civilians across the Philippines.

“The evidence before the chamber points to a common plan between Mr Duterte and others to target and kill individuals suspected of criminal activity in the Philippines, particularly those allegedly linked to drug use, trafficking or production, through acts of violence including murder,” the International Criminal Court said.

Prosecutors further allege that Rodrigo Duterte established, financed and equipped so-called death squads to carry out the killings of suspected drug offenders during his time in office between 2016 and 2022.

Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in the Philippines last year but denies the charges, maintaining that he instructed police to use lethal force only in self-defence.

His lead defence lawyer, Nick Kaufman, accused prosecutors of “cherry-picking” instances of his client’s “bombastic rhetoric”, arguing that Duterte never intended to incite violence.

It remains unclear whether Duterte will attend the trial. His legal team says he is not mentally fit to follow the proceedings.
In previous cases, the International Criminal Court has taken up to a year between the confirmation of charges and the start of trial proceedings.

Estimates of the death toll during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte vary widely, ranging from about 6,000, according to police figures, to as many as 30,000, as reported by some human rights organisations.

Ritz Lee Santos, director of Amnesty International Philippines, described the ICC ruling as a “historic moment for victims and international justice”.

“It sends a clear message that those alleged to have committed widespread and systematic murder as a crime against humanity will one day find themselves in the dock, facing trial,” Santos said.

Maria Elena Vignoli, senior international justice counsel at Human Rights Watch, said the trial would “send a powerful message that no one responsible for grave crimes is above the law, whether in the Philippines or elsewhere, and that justice will eventually catch up with them.”

-Aljazeera

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