The International Criminal Court (ICC) has thrust former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte into the global spotlight once again, this time as the first Asian former head of state to face indictment for crimes against humanity in The Hague. The case, which has been years in the making, centers on Duterte’s notorious “war on drugs”—a campaign that, according to human rights groups, left thousands dead and scarred the nation’s collective memory.
The ICC’s heavily redacted charge sheet, dated July 4, 2025, was made public on September 22, 2025, signaling a new chapter in international justice and accountability. At 80 years old, Duterte stands accused of three counts of crimes against humanity, stemming from at least 76 murders that prosecutors say he either orchestrated or enabled as both mayor of Davao City and later as president of the Philippines.
The first count against Duterte concerns his alleged role as a co-perpetrator in 19 killings between 2013 and 2016, during his tenure as Davao’s mayor—a time when the city earned a reputation for being both one of the safest and most dangerous places in the country, depending on whom you asked. The second charge relates to 14 murders of so-called “high-value targets” in 2016 and 2017, after Duterte rose to the presidency and took his hardline approach nationwide. The third count involves 43 murders committed during “clearance” operations of alleged drug users and pushers between 2016 and 2018, as detailed by the ICC’s prosecution team.
But the numbers on the charge sheet are only the tip of the iceberg. The ICC prosecutors were blunt in their assessment: “The actual scale of victimization during the charged period was significantly greater, as reflected in the widespread nature of the attack,” they said, according to AFP. “The attack included thousands of killings, which were perpetrated consistently throughout the charged period.”
Estimates of the death toll from Duterte’s anti-drug campaign vary wildly. Philippine police put the number at around 6,000, but human rights groups and independent organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, claim the true figure could be as high as 30,000. Notably, these groups have concluded that the widespread killings constitute crimes against humanity, with most victims coming from poor communities and targeted during house-to-house “Tokhang” operations.
The ICC’s formal charges, made public on Monday, detail 49 specific murder allegations but allege a much broader pattern of state-sanctioned violence. According to documents cited by Reuters and The National, prosecutors accuse Duterte of establishing so-called “liquidation squads”—the infamous Davao Death Squad—during his time as mayor, and expanding these operations across the country after assuming the presidency in 2016. The charges further allege that Duterte promised financial rewards for killings and publicly assured police officers they would not face consequences for executing suspected criminals. In fact, prosecutors point to his well-documented public statements encouraging police to “go out and kill” as evidence of his direct role.
Rights groups have documented a disturbing pattern of police fabricating incident reports and planting weapons and drugs on victims’ bodies to bolster claims of self-defense—a practice that, they say, allowed perpetrators to operate with near-total impunity. While the frequency of such killings has reportedly decreased under current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., drug-related deaths continue to be reported, underscoring the lingering effects of Duterte’s policies.
Duterte’s arrest in March 2025 was itself a dramatic affair. Interpol agents detained him at Manila airport amid chaotic scenes, and he was swiftly flown to The Hague, where he has remained in ICC detention at Scheveningen Prison ever since. The arrest warrant, issued on March 7, initially cited one count of crimes against humanity relating to 43 murders, but the scope of the case has since expanded with the release of the full charge sheet.
At his initial hearing, Duterte appeared by video link, reportedly dazed and frail, barely speaking—a stark contrast to the brash, tough-talking leader who once relished his “Duterte Harry” and “The Punisher” nicknames. His lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, has argued that Duterte is not fit to stand trial due to “cognitive impairment in multiple domains,” urging the ICC to postpone proceedings indefinitely. The court is currently weighing whether Duterte is medically able to participate in his own defense, a decision that could have significant implications for the case’s timeline.
The Philippines’ relationship with the ICC has been fraught. In 2019, the country formally withdrew from the court after the investigation into Duterte’s drug war began. However, as BBC and Reuters report, the ICC maintains jurisdiction over crimes committed before the withdrawal took effect, meaning Duterte’s actions as both mayor and president remain within the court’s purview. The Duterte administration previously tried to suspend the ICC’s investigation, arguing that Philippine authorities were already looking into the same allegations. But in 2023, ICC appeals judges rejected these objections, allowing the investigation to proceed.
Despite his incarceration thousands of miles away, Duterte’s political influence at home has not entirely waned. In a surprising turn of events, he was re-elected as mayor of Davao City in May 2025, underscoring the enduring loyalty of his supporters and the complex legacy he leaves behind. For some Filipinos, Duterte remains a hero who took bold action against crime; for others, he is a symbol of unchecked brutality and impunity.
The charges against Duterte must still be confirmed by the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber before a full trial can proceed. The formal presentation of evidence and legal arguments is now in the hands of the court, which will decide if the case moves forward. In the words of ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan, the arrest marked “a crucial step in our continuous work to ensure accountability for the victims of the most serious crimes under ICC jurisdiction.”
The world is watching closely as the ICC weighs the evidence and Duterte’s fate. For the families of victims, human rights advocates, and supporters of international justice, the case represents a long-awaited reckoning. For Duterte’s defenders, it is a test of national sovereignty and the limits of international intervention. As proceedings unfold in The Hague, the Philippines—and the international community—wait to see whether justice, in all its complexity, will be served.