Veronica “Kitty” Duterte, daughter of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, has made an urgent plea to the Supreme Court of the Philippines to resolve the pending petitions that could pave the way for her father’s return from detention in The Hague. The move, which comes amid growing legal and political tensions, underscores the complex aftermath of Duterte’s controversial war on drugs and the international scrutiny it continues to attract.
According to GMA Integrated News, Kitty Duterte filed a 26-page motion on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, asking the country’s highest court to direct the government to “take all available steps” to facilitate her father’s return. The former president, who was arrested on March 11, 2025, and flown to The Hague, is currently facing charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes tied to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
“Petitioner implores this Honorable Court to exercise similar resolve here to ensure that constitutional violations do not go unremedied or unpunished, even if the ruling could influence the country’s political landscape,” the motion reads. The petition, joined by Kitty’s half-brothers—Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte and Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte—was first filed in March, with the family seeking a Supreme Court order compelling the government to present the former president.
Health and human rights concerns are at the heart of the Duterte family’s appeal. Kitty Duterte argued that immediate relief is essential to prevent “the further deterioration” of her father’s health and to avoid what she called “an undignified death in foreign custody.” The motion warns that, without intervention, the nation could face “the ignominy of having a beloved former President – expelled from his homeland without due process of law – suffer an undignified death in the custody of his foreign captors, with this Honorable Court not lifting a finger to intervene.”
Duterte’s legal counsel at the ICC has stated that the 80-year-old former leader is suffering from cognitive impairment, with an inability to recall events, places, or even close family members. In response, the ICC has ordered a medical examination to determine Duterte’s fitness to stand trial, according to GMA Integrated News.
The family’s petitions also aim to “hold accountable those responsible for his extralegal rendition” and to “forestall further threat to liberty without due process.” The specter of further arrests looms large: Kitty Duterte cited an “imminent threat of repetition” after reports surfaced that the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, a close Duterte ally and the former chief of the Philippine National Police during the height of the drug war.
The Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicated that the government would carry out the arrest warrant if issued, with options to extradite or surrender Dela Rosa to the ICC. Yet, Dela Rosa’s camp maintains that the government has no legal basis to surrender its citizens to an international tribunal, citing the absence of formal rules governing such a process. While there is no known ICC case lodged against Dela Rosa at this time, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has asserted that Dela Rosa and four other former police officials are implicated in the ongoing ICC probe into the drug war’s conduct.
The numbers tied to Duterte’s anti-drug campaign remain a flashpoint for debate. Government records show that approximately 6,200 drug suspects were killed during anti-drug operations under Duterte’s administration. However, human rights groups estimate the true figure could be as high as 30,000, factoring in unreported and related killings. The gravity of these allegations forms the backbone of the ICC’s investigation and continues to divide public opinion both in the Philippines and abroad.
The international dimension of the saga was on full display just days before the Supreme Court motion, when former President Duterte made an unannounced trip to Hong Kong. As reported by the Associated Press, Duterte and his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, headlined a campaign rally at Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai, drawing thousands of Filipino expatriates. The event, intended to drum up support for their political party’s senatorial candidates ahead of the May 12, 2026 midterm elections, quickly became a focal point for speculation about Duterte’s intentions in light of the ICC’s ongoing investigation.
During his speech, Duterte addressed the swirling rumors about a potential ICC arrest warrant. “What was my sin?” he asked the crowd. “I did everything in my time so Filipinos can have a little peace and tranquility.” He went on, “If this is my fate in life, it’s OK, I’ll accept it. I can’t do anything if I get arrested and jailed.” The former president, now 79 and visibly frail, even joked about his legacy, telling supporters to make small contributions for a monument depicting him holding a gun—a characteristic nod to his hardline reputation.
The ICC’s investigation centers on the thousands of deaths attributed to police and unidentified gunmen during the Duterte administration’s crackdown on illegal drugs. Most victims were poor, and the campaign drew sharp criticism from human rights organizations worldwide. Duterte has consistently denied authorizing extrajudicial killings, but he has also been candid—sometimes even boastful—about threatening suspected drug dealers during his 2016-2022 term.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has stated that law enforcement agencies would be “bound to fully cooperate” if the ICC formally seeks Duterte’s custody. This stance has sparked debate within the Philippines, where opinions on international intervention and national sovereignty are sharply divided. Some argue that cooperating with the ICC is a necessary step toward accountability and justice, while others see it as an affront to Philippine sovereignty and due process.
For supporters of the former president, the legal battle is more than a question of guilt or innocence; it’s a referendum on national pride, political legacy, and the rule of law. Critics, meanwhile, see the Supreme Court petition as an attempt to evade justice and shield powerful figures from the consequences of their actions. As the legal and political drama unfolds, the stakes remain high—not just for Duterte and his family, but for the Philippines’ standing in the international community.
With the Supreme Court yet to rule on the petitions and the ICC’s investigation pressing forward, the fate of Rodrigo Duterte hangs in the balance. The coming weeks promise to be pivotal, as the nation—and the world—waits to see whether justice, in whatever form, will finally be served.
