In a historic and controversial turn of events, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte now faces three counts of crimes against humanity, formally charged by prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for murder in connection with his infamous anti-drug campaign. The charge sheet, filed on July 4, 2025, and made public on September 23, lays out a chilling narrative of state-sanctioned violence that allegedly claimed at least 76 lives directly, with human rights groups estimating the real toll to be far higher—somewhere in the tens of thousands.
Duterte, 80, has been in detention at the ICC facility in The Hague, Netherlands, since his dramatic March 2025 arrest in Manila. According to NPR, the former president was apprehended by Philippine authorities on a warrant issued by the ICC, marking a significant moment for both the country and the international justice system. The charges against him span his years as both mayor of Davao City and as the nation’s president, painting a picture of a leader who, prosecutors allege, orchestrated a deadly campaign to “neutralize” alleged criminals through murder and other violent acts.
The ICC’s 15-page, heavily redacted charge sheet details a “common plan or agreement” shared by Duterte and his co-perpetrators to rid the Philippines of those suspected of drug use, sale, or production. The prosecution’s July 4 filing, as reported by Axios, asserts that Duterte is “individually criminally responsible” for these crimes, both by ordering and abetting their commission. The document implicates not just Duterte but also members of the national police, high-ranking government officials, and non-police hitmen, though the identities of many alleged co-conspirators remain undisclosed.
Breaking down the allegations, the first count focuses on Duterte’s tenure as mayor of Davao City from 2013 to 2016. During this period, 19 killings are attributed to the so-called Davao Death Squad (DDS), a shadowy group of police and non-police hitmen that Duterte allegedly led. The second count moves to his presidency, charging that a “National Network”—comprising national police, the drug law enforcement agency, the National Bureau of Investigation, and various hitmen—carried out 14 targeted killings between 2016 and 2017. Notably, these victims were described as “high-value” targets allegedly involved in drug manufacturing or syndicates, with police officers reportedly receiving rewards of up to one million Philippine pesos (over $17,000) for each successful operation.
The third count accuses Duterte of responsibility for 43 murders and two attempted murders during village-level “drug clearance” operations from 2016 to 2018. The ICC’s documents, as cited by BBC and ABC, emphasize that the actual scale of victimization during these years was “significantly greater,” referencing the widespread nature of the attacks. Official figures from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency put the number of deaths during Duterte’s presidency at over 6,000, but human rights groups estimate the true figure to be closer to 30,000.
Duterte’s legal team has pulled out all the stops in seeking to derail or delay the proceedings. On August 18, 2025, his chief counsel Nicholas Kaufman filed a motion to indefinitely adjourn all legal proceedings, citing “cognitive impairment in multiple domains.” According to court documents, Kaufman argued that Duterte’s impairments affect “his memory, his daily executive functioning, his visuoconstructive abilities, and his orientation to place and time while, simultaneously, limiting his capacity for complex reasoning.” The ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I responded by postponing the confirmation of charges hearing, originally set for September 23, with a new date yet to be determined.
This is just one of several strategies employed by Duterte’s defense. They have repeatedly sought his interim release, arguing that the former president poses no flight risk, will not abscond, and is willing to cooperate with the court. Kaufman also tried to disqualify two of the Pre-Trial Chamber I judges for perceived bias, but the court rejected the request, stating “no actual nor reasonable apprehension of bias arises in respect of” the judges. In a further twist, Kaufman attempted to disqualify ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, citing a supposed conflict of interest due to Khan’s previous representation of alleged victims of Duterte’s drug war. That request, too, was ultimately retracted.
Meanwhile, the political landscape in the Philippines remains deeply polarized. Duterte and his family, who have described the ICC case as politically motivated, still enjoy considerable popularity at home. The family’s political influence endures, with several members—including his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte—holding public office and harboring further ambitions. On September 20, Vice President Duterte revealed that an unidentified third country had expressed approval to host her father if he were to be released. Just a day later, pro-Duterte supporters staged demonstrations in The Hague, demanding his release and repatriation to the Philippines. Their protests coincided with anti-corruption rallies back in the Philippines, where some demonstrators also called for the resignation of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Duterte’s political rival.
For the families of the drug war’s victims, the ICC proceedings have been both a beacon of hope and a source of frustration. Kristina Conti, a lawyer representing some of the victims, told reporters outside The Hague that requests for Duterte’s interim release should be denied, arguing that the Duterte family remains powerful and has significant resources at its disposal. She described the victims’ families’ reaction to the hearing’s postponement with a vivid metaphor: “What those families feel—do you know the feeling when you’re about to throw up, but it gets stuck in your throat? It’s like that for them. Because relief was imminent, everyone could breathe, and then it gets preempted.”
Despite these setbacks, the victims’ families remain determined. As Conti relayed, “They told me, ‘Ma’am, if we could wait 8 years, 9 years to see Duterte imprisoned, then we could wait until he stands trial.’” Their patience, forged in years of loss and uncertainty, stands in stark contrast to the urgency of the legal maneuvers playing out in The Hague.
The ICC case against Rodrigo Duterte is more than just a legal battle; it is a litmus test for international justice, state accountability, and the limits of presidential power. The world watches closely as the proceedings unfold, with the outcome likely to resonate far beyond the Philippines’ borders. For now, the former president remains in detention, his fate—and that of the families seeking justice for their loved ones—hanging in the balance as the ICC weighs the next steps in a saga that has gripped a nation and drawn global attention.