The international spotlight has once again turned to the Philippines as the International Criminal Court (ICC) moves forward with its crimes against humanity case against former President Rodrigo Duterte. The latest development comes with the ICC registry transmitting a new batch of victim applications, pushing the total number of individuals seeking recognition in the case to 322. The allegations, which stem from Duterte’s controversial war on drugs, have ignited both local and international debate, especially as new figures and testimonies emerge in the lead-up to a critical hearing later this month.
According to a report from Inquirer, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I recently received more applications from parties wishing to be registered as victims in the ongoing case. Of the total 322 applications, 18 individuals have expressed a desire to seek only reparations; these have been registered in the ICC’s Victims Participation and Reparations Section database but are not being considered at this stage of the proceedings. The remaining 304 applications are under active review, with 35 of them already submitted to the Pre-Trial Chamber in three distinct groups. Notably, the registry’s confidential annexes mean that much of the detail surrounding these applications remains shielded from the defense team and the public for now.
The scope of those claiming victim status is broad, extending beyond direct casualties to include family members and relatives who say they suffered psychological harm as a result of Duterte’s drug war. This acknowledgment of indirect victims reflects the far-reaching consequences of the campaign, which, according to official government data, resulted in at least 6,000 deaths. However, human rights organizations and the ICC prosecutor estimate that the true number could be between 12,000 and 30,000 from 2016 to 2019 alone.
As the legal machinery grinds forward, the prosecution and defense teams have managed to agree on a handful of basic facts about the case. A joint submission published on the ICC website on September 1, 2025, and signed by defense lawyer Nicholas Kaufman and deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, outlined these agreed points. They include Duterte’s identity, his birth date (March 28, 1945, making him 80 years old), his birthplace in Maasin, Southern Leyte, his Filipino nationality, and the definition of the barangay as the smallest unit of local government in the Philippines. The initials “PRRD,” commonly used to refer to Duterte, were also acknowledged as part of the agreed facts. While the prosecution had listed ten facts, the defense agreed to only four, underscoring the contentious nature of the proceedings.
These agreements set the stage for Duterte’s upcoming confirmation of charges hearing, scheduled for September 23, 2025, in The Hague. The case covers a period stretching from November 2011, when Duterte was mayor of Davao City, through March 2019, when the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute that established the ICC—a move ordered by Duterte himself. His pretrial was held on March 14, 2025, just two days after his arrest and transfer to the Netherlands, where he has been detained at the Scheveningen prison complex for nearly six months.
Amid these legal proceedings, another key figure has re-entered the scene: retired police colonel Royina Garma, the former general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). As reported by GMA Integrated News, Garma returned to the Philippines on September 6, 2025, arriving at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 from Los Angeles, California. Her arrival—on Philippine Airlines Flight PR 113, which landed at 6:19 p.m.—was anything but routine. Escorted by U.S. government officials, she was handed over to the Bureau of Immigration for processing after being deported following the rejection of her asylum application by U.S. authorities.
Garma’s legal troubles began nearly a year earlier, on November 7, 2024, when she was detained by U.S. authorities for a canceled visa. The Philippine Department of Justice had subsequently ordered the Bureau of Immigration to facilitate her return, and her lawyer, Emerito Quilang, later confirmed that Garma had filed for asylum in November 2024. The specifics of her asylum plea remain undisclosed, with Quilang noting he was "not privy" to the details as Garma retained separate legal counsel abroad.
Back in the Philippines, Garma faces complaints of murder and frustrated murder, specifically regarding the alleged 2020 killing of former PCSO board secretary Wesley Barayuga. During a House of Representatives inquiry, Garma denied orchestrating Barayuga’s death but made a significant admission: former President Duterte had asked her to find an officer who could implement the so-called Davao model for the drug war on a nationwide scale. This model, she explained, involves payments as rewards for killing drug suspects, funding for planned operations, and reimbursement of operational expenses. Garma recounted meeting Duterte in May 2016, just weeks before he was to take office as president on June 30 of that year.
Her testimony, delivered before the House Quad Committee, was emotional. Asked if she had been coerced into executing her affidavit, Garma insisted she acted of her own volition, stating, "I realized that the truth will always set us free." This statement, as reported by GMA Integrated News, adds a deeply personal dimension to the ongoing legal saga, hinting at the complex motivations and pressures faced by those involved in Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
Garma’s return to the country comes at a significant juncture—less than three weeks before Duterte’s crucial ICC hearing. Her presence, and the allegations she faces, may well influence the broader narrative surrounding the former president’s accountability and the conduct of his administration’s drug war. The timing is unlikely to be lost on observers, both within the Philippines and internationally, as the ICC gears up for what could be a landmark moment in the global fight against impunity for crimes against humanity.
The legal and political stakes are high. For Duterte’s supporters, the ICC proceedings are often framed as an external intrusion into Philippine sovereignty, with arguments that the country has its own mechanisms for accountability. Critics, on the other hand, see the ICC case as a necessary check on unchecked power and a means of justice for thousands of victims. The inclusion of indirect victims—those who suffered psychological harm—highlights the war’s ripple effects, extending far beyond the immediate casualties and into the fabric of Filipino society.
As the confirmation of charges hearing approaches, attention will be focused not only on the courtroom in The Hague but also on the streets and halls of power in Manila. The outcome of these proceedings could have lasting implications for the Philippines’ relationship with international institutions and the pursuit of justice for those affected by the war on drugs. The coming weeks promise to be pivotal, with the eyes of the world watching closely.
With fresh testimony, a growing list of victims, and the return of a key witness, the ICC’s case against Rodrigo Duterte is gathering momentum. The next chapter in this complex and deeply consequential story is about to unfold, and its impact will be felt far beyond the courtroom.