- Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
- Accused of crimes against humanity tied to his violent “war on drugs.”
- Charges cover killings in Davao City as mayor and nationwide during his presidency.
- More than 6,000 officially killed, though activists claim tens of thousands.
- Duterte is first Asian ex-head of state indicted by the ICC, now in custody at The Hague.
- His lawyer argues he is too ill to stand trial; supporters allege political motives.
- Despite imprisonment, Duterte was re-elected mayor of Davao in May.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has formally charged former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte with crimes against humanity, accusing him of bearing responsibility for widespread killings under his controversial “war on drugs.”
The 80-year-old, who ruled the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, faces three separate counts related to extrajudicial murders. The indictment, partially redacted, was filed in July but only made public on Monday.
Prosecutors allege that Duterte acted as an “indirect co-perpetrator,” enabling a system in which police and vigilantes carried out executions of drug suspects and others. The court cited evidence that Duterte and his allies shared a “common plan” to violently “neutralize” alleged criminals.
The first charge stems from his time as mayor of Davao City, where at least 19 killings were reported between 2013 and 2016. The second covers the deaths of 14 so-called “high-value targets” during his presidency, while the third involves 45 deaths and attempted killings linked to clearance operations in villages.
Official Philippine records acknowledge more than 6,000 deaths in the drug war, though human rights groups estimate the true toll could be tens of thousands. Despite international outrage, Duterte repeatedly defended the crackdown, insisting it was necessary to curb crime.
Duterte, who has been held at The Hague since March, is the first Asian former leader to be indicted by the ICC in its history, and the first person in over three years to be transferred to the Netherlands for trial. His lawyer insists that ill health makes him unfit to stand trial.
The drama has unfolded against a tense political backdrop. In May, despite being behind bars, Duterte was re-elected mayor of Davao — with his son Sebastian continuing in the role as acting mayor. His supporters accuse current president Ferdinand Marcos of weaponizing the ICC process to weaken the Duterte family, though Manila has previously rejected cooperating with the court.
With Duterte in custody and awaiting proceedings, the case marks one of the ICC’s most high-profile confrontations with a former head of state in recent years.
